Reds hit road hoping to bring back NL Central title

The NL Central leaders left town with one intention: Bring back a title.

But the Cincinnati Reds' playoff push slowed a bit Thursday, when Rodrigo Lopez held their league-leading offense in check for seven innings to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 3-1 victory. The Reds hit the road with a comfortable lead and a chance to clinch a playoff spot during their eight-game trip to Houston, Milwaukee and San Diego, which begins Friday night.

The Reds went 4-3 on a homestand against Pittsburgh and Arizona to move themselves a few wins away from their first playoff appearance since 1995.

"We're getting close," said Edinson Volquez (3-3), who is trying to be part of the playoff rotation. "We don't have that many left. If we win the series in Houston, it will be real exciting. We'll be really close."

Close enough that they no longer worry about second-place St. Louis, which trails by seven games in the NL Central.

"We're in a good situation," said Jonny Gomes, who drove in the Reds' run off Lopez (6-14). "We don't have to scoreboard-watch, we really don't.''

Cardinals 4, Padres 0

Albert Pujols snapped an 0-for-9 skid with a run-scoring double in a four-run sixth inning, Yadier Molina added a two-run single and Jake Westbrook (2-3) pitched eight crisp innings for host St. Louis.

San Diego lost its second in a row and dropped into a tie for the NL West lead, pending San Francisco's late game against Los Angele

Twins 8, White Sox 5

Delmon Young hit his 18th homer, Carl Pavano got his 17th win and the visiting Twins completed a three-game sweep. Paul Konerko hit a solo homer in the third against Pavano (17-11) after being drilled in the face by a pitch in the first inning.

The Twins went 13-5 against the White Sox and lead them by nine in the AL Central with 16 games to play as they try to lock down their sixth division title in 10 years.

Morgan to serve 8-game ban

Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan will serve an eight-game suspension rather than the original penalties of two bans totaling 15 games for separate violations of deliberately throwing a baseball into the stands Aug. 21 and his involvement in a brawl against the Marlins on Sept. 3.

The decision was announced following appeals. Morgan will begin serving the penalty Friday night in Philadelphia.

Braves trying to end free-fall

After leading the NL East for three straight months, the Braves are trying to shake a late-season slump that could cost manager Bobby Cox a final postseason appearance before his retirement.

A 3-4 homestand left Atlanta three games behind Philadelphia in the division and leading the NL wild-card race by one-half game with 15 games remaining. The Braves begin a nine-game road trip Friday night against the Mets at Citi Field. - AP