The Padres (79-61) hold the slimmest possible lead over the Giants (80-62), .564-.563. San Francisco has won nine of 12 while the Padres have lost 12 of 15.
The Colorado Rockies are just 2 1/2 back after winning their eighth straight, 13-4 against Arizona.
Lefty Jonathan Sanchez and five relievers combined on a three-hitter. Brian Wilson finished for a five-out save, his career-high 42nd in 46 chances.
Tejada’s decision to try to throw out Aubrey Huff at third base instead of going for the out at first on Jose Guillen’s grounder led to the only run.
Huff was hit in the right elbow by a pitch from Clayton Richard (12-7) leading off the inning and stole second as Pat Burrell struck out. Huff took off for third on Guillen’s grounder. Tejada glanced at first before throwing to third, but Huff slid in before Chase Headley could tag him. Huff then scored as Guillen was forced on Juan Uribe’s grounder to third.
Santiago Casilla (7-2) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win.
Rockies 13 Diamondbacks 4: In Denver, Troy Tulowitzki homered twice, Jorge De La Rosa struck out a season-high 10 in six innings and Colorado picked up its season-high eighth consecutive victory.
Tulowitzki went 3 for 3 with three RBIs and scored four times in his third career multihomer game. He has eight homers in his last eight games — a span in which he’s batting .444 (16 for 36) — and reached 20 homers in a season for the third time in his career.
De La Rosa (7-4) struck out the side in the fourth inning and fanned at least one batter in each of the innings he pitched in winning his third consecutive decision.
Phillies 8 Mets 4: In New York, Roy Halladay earned his 18th victory, the most by a Philadelphia pitcher in 27 years, and hit a two-run single to lead the Phillies to their fourth straight win.
Ryan Howard and Chase Utley homered as the NL East leaders held their one-game edge over Atlanta. Wilson Valdez , subbing for injured shortstop Jimmy Rollins , drove in two runs.
Halladay (18-10) allowed four runs and eight hits in 7 2-3 innings, becoming the Phillies’ top winner since John Denny posted 19 in 1983. Jenrry Mejia (0-4) remained winless as a big leaguer.
Braves 8 Cardinals 6: In Atlanta, the Braves scored six runs in the sixth inning, sending 10 hitters to the plate and taking advantage of a dropped fly ball by right fielder Jon Jay to rally.
Atlanta fell behind 4-1, giving up a two-run homer to Matt Holliday and a two more RBIs to Chris Carpenter (15-6), who had a run-scoring single and the second homer of his career. Atlanta won for just the third time in nine games.
Marlins 3 Nationals 1: In Washington, Alex Sanabia (4-2) allowed three hits in 6 2-3 scoreless but peaceful innings in the first meeting between the teams since they brawled Sept. 1.
Sanabia (4-2) will start a three-game suspension Saturday for his part in a fight that caused Major League Baseball to discipline six players, both managers and a coach.
Before the game, Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension, as did Nationals reliever Doug Slaten .
Dan Uggla had three hits as Florida stopped a three-game losing streak.
Reds 4 Pirates 3: In Cincinnati, Francisco Cordero blew a two-run lead in the ninth, but the Reds recovered on Jonny Gomes’ bases-loaded grounder in the 12th.
The NL Central leaders had dropped a season-high five in a row, whittling their lead over St. Louis from eight to five games.
Chris Heisey started the winning rally with a bunt single off Wilfredo Ledezma (0-2), who then hit Joey Votto . Scott Rolen singled off Joel Hanrahan to load the bases.
Dodgers 4 Astros 2, 11 innings: In Houston, Jay Gibbons hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning and the Dodgers stopped a six-game slide.
Matt Kemp singled before Gibbons connected against Fernando Abad (0-1), hitting a drive over the wall in right-center for his fourth homer. Gibbons also had a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth that gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
Octavio Dotel (3-3) struck out three in two scoreless innings for the win.
Michael Bourn had three hits and two RBIs for Houston, which had won three straight.
Cubs 4 Brewers 0: In Milwaukee, Carlos Zambrano (8-6) allowed three hits in 8 2-3 innings and struck out nine to win his fifth straight decision since returning to the rotation Aug. 9 after a suspension for a dugout outburst in June. He also had three hits and drove in a run.
Carlos Marmol finished for his 29th save.
Dave Bush (7-12) gave up three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. Three Milwaukee errors led to two unearned runs.
