Oswalt beats old club as Phillies sweep

Roy Oswalt pitched six strong innings against his former team and Ryan Howard homered and drove in four runs to help host Philadelphia complete a season-opening three-game sweep with a 7-3 win over the Astros Sunday.

Oswalt (1-0), who spent 10 years with the Astros before a midseason trade to Philadelphia last year, allowed two runs and five hits, striking out six and walking one in his first start against his former club.

"I didn't know what to expect," Oswalt said. "It was a little bit different after being there so long. You know their strengths and weaknesses."

Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Oswalt combined to pitch 19 innings while allowing six runs and 14 hits. They struck out 24 against one walk. "It pushes you," Oswalt said of following them. "You know those guys are going to give you a quality start every time and you don't want to be the guy that gives it up."

Philly opened with three wins in a home series for the first time since 1970.

Braves 11, Nationals 2: Tim Hudson gave up one run in seven innings and Brian McCann had four RBIs for visiting Atlanta. The Braves put righthander Jair Jurrjens on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle.

Dodgers 7, Giants 5: Marcus Thames tripled in the go-ahead run during a four-run seventh as host Los Angeles took three out of four against the defending champions.

Cardinals 2, Padres 0:Jaime Garcia, who had a 6.26 spring ERA, threw a four-hitter with a career-best nine strikeouts as St. Louis avoided a season-opening sweep at home.

Reds 12, Brewers 3: Ryan Hanigan hit two of host Cincinnati's four homers to help cap a three-game sweep.

Pirates 5, Cubs 4:Pedro Alvarez drove in two runs with an infield single in the ninth as visiting Pittsburgh took two of three games. -- AP