Cubs go like 60...Mets alone at the top...Braun rallies the Brewers

UNDATED (AP) -- Carlos Zambrano pitched seven solid innings and the Chicago Cubs snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Florida Marlins with a 6-3 win for their 60th victory of the season. Zambrano is 11-and-4.

After a 2-and-4 road trip, the Cubs got home runs from Henry Blanco and Ronny Cedeno and two-run double from Aramis Ramirez to improved to 38-and-12 at Wrigley Field. They are 22-and-30 away from the Friendly Confines.

Hanley Ramirez homered for the Marlins, who have lost three of four overall. Tampa Bay lost to the Cubs for the first time since April 25th, 2006.

In other NL action:

-- Milwaukee stayed one game back of the Cubs in the NL Central by rallying with two in the ninth to beat St. Louis 4-3. Ryan Braun had four hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth. Braun also had four hits Wednesday night. It's Milwaukee's first series sweep in St. Louis since September of 1999.

-- The New York Mets are in sole possession of first place in the NL East for the first time since April 19th. Carlos Delgado's two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning snapped a 1-1 tie and gave the Mets a 3-1 win over Philadelphia. The Mets took two of three from the Phillies in this July showdown at Shea Stadium. Oliver Perez struck out 12 over seven and two-thirds innings. Billy Wagner got three outs for his second save in as many days.

-- Matt Cain tossed a four-hitter and Dave Roberts singled home a run in the eighth inning giving San Francisco a 1-0 win over Washington. Tim Redding was the hard-luck loser, going eight innings and giving up the one run on seven hits while striking out five. Washington was shut out for the 13th time, most in the majors.

-- Yoslan Herrera pitched six shutout innings for his first major league win and the Pittsburgh Pirates got back-to-back homers from Jason Bay and Xavier Nady in a 9-1 win over San Diego. Nate McLouth also homered and had three RBIs for the Pirates, who've won four straight.

In the American League, the Orioles and Blue Jays took care of some leftover business in Baltimore. A.J. Burnett registered his 11th victory a day after he pitched, and Toronto used a strong performance by its bullpen to beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 in the completion of a suspended game. The Jays had just taken a 2-1 lead Wednesday night when rain halted play in the top of the sixth inning.

In the regularly scheduled game, Roy Halladay scattered seven hits over seven innings as the Jays won 7-1. Halladay is 12-and-7.

In other AL action:

-- Kansas City beat Tampa Bay 4-2. That's the Rays' seventh straight road loss. It drops Tampa Bay into a virtual tie with Boston for the AL East lead although the Rays are still one percentage point ahead. Gil Meche pitched seven scoreless innings to improve to 8-and-9.

Not a lot of support for Favre

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- There were plenty of Number 4 jerseys in the stands and a smattering of jeers for general manager Ted Thompson at the annual meeting of Green Bay Packers shareholders at Lambeau Field.

But the meeting didn't turn into a bring-back-Brett Favre rally.

In fact, most of the 9,375 shareholders in attendance pleasantly applauded Thompson and team president and CEO Mark Murphy, then gave a raucous standing ovation to head coach Mike McCarthy. The reaction seems to indicate that many of the fans who own a tiny stake in the team they love are backing the front office in its ongoing stand-off with Favre, the semiretired franchise quarterback.

In other NFL news:

-- San Diego Chargers first-round draft pick Antoine Cason has signed a five-year deal worth 12 million dollars. That means the entire San Diego team will be in camp when the team holds its first full-squad practice on Friday.

-- Arizona star wide receiver Anquan Boldin says the Cardinals lied to him about a new contract and that he has no desire to re-sign with the organization. The two-time Pro Bowl player and a team captain last season says he was promised a new contract before this season, and has directed his agent to stop negotiations with the team.

-- A person with knowledge of the deal says the Detroit Lions and cornerback Leigh Bodden have agreed on a 27 million-dollar, four-year contract extension. The deal includes a 2 million-dollar signing bonus and a 8.6 million more if he's on the team next March. Last year Bodden made a career-high six interceptions and has 12 over five seasons.

-- Rod Smith has officially announced his retirement after establishing most of the Broncos' receiving records with Denver. The 38-year old has had two hip operations in the past year-and-a-half.

-- The AFC champion New England Patriots have signed first-round draft pick Jerod Mayo. The linebacker's deal was wrapped up this morning as his teammates were being put through their first practice of training camp.

Paying the price

NEW YORK (AP) -- The WNBA has handed out suspension to 10 players and assistant coach Rick Mahorn for Tuesday's on-court melee between Detroit and visiting Los Angeles.

Shock forward Plenette Pierson was hit hardest. She was suspended four games for initiating and escalating the skirmish.

Shock assistant coach Mahorn has been suspended for two games, as have Shannon Bobbitt and Murriel Page of the Sparks.

Detroit's Kara Braxton, Tasha Humphrey, Elaine Powell and Sheri Sam along with Los Angeles' Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones received one-game suspensions.

WNBA president Donna Orender says the events that transpired at The Palace of Auburn Hills are inexcusable and not indicative of what the league stands for.

Lieberman making a brief comeback

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- The Detroit Shock have come up with a way to take some attention away from their well-publicized skirmish earlier this week.

They've signed 50-year-old Nancy Lieberman to a seven-day contract. The Hall of Famer and one of the Shock's former coaches has been working as an analyst for ESPN.

Lieberman played briefly in Detroit's 79-61 loss in Houston, but didn't score.

Iraq out of Olympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- The International Olympic Committee says Iraq will not compete in Beijing next month.

The IOC suspended Iraq's national Olympic committee in June after Baghdad dismissed elected officials and installed its own people who are not recognized by the IOC.

The IOC Charter forbids political interference in the Olympic movement.

Donaghy's next

NEW YORK (AP) -- Two former classmates of disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy will spend time behind bars for their roles in the betting scandal that rocked the NBA.

Professional gambler James Battista has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for making bets based on inside tips.

And co-defendant Thomas Martino gets a one-year sentence for paying the referee thousands of dollars for the tips. Both defendants apologized in court.

Donaghy will be sentenced next Tuesday. He pleaded guilty last year to charges he conspired to engage in wire fraud and transmitted betting information through interstate commerce.

Co-leaders in Scotland

TROON, Scotland (AP) -- Argentina's Eduardo Romero and American Bruce Vaughan matched 3-under-par 68s and are tied for the lead after round one of the Senior British Open at Troon.

Andy Bean, John Cook and Kirk Hanefeld of the U.S. are just a shot back, as is Nick Job of Switzerland.

GOLF-LPGA

Ochoa the early leader in Europe

EVIAN, France (AP) - Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa is the leader at the LPGA's Evian Masters after shooting a 7-under-par 65 over her opening 18 holes in France.

The Mexican star is one clear of Sun-Ju Ahn, Candie Kung and Angela Park with 54 holes still to play.

Three-way tie for the top

OAKVILLE, Ontario (AP) -- Canada's Mike Weir has a share of the first-round clubhouse lead at the Canadian Open. His 6-under-par 65 has been matched by Anthony Kim and Eric Axley. First round play was suspended for 5 hours and 42 minutes because of lightning and rain.

Nearing the end of the line

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) -- Carlos Sastre of Spain retained the overall lead and Marcus Burghardt of Germany won the 18th stage of the Tour de France as the race left the Alps.

Sastre leads CSC teammate Frank Schleck of Luxembourg by 1 minute, 24 seconds. Bernhard Kohl of Austria is third, 1:33 behind, and Cadel Evans of Australia is fourth, 1:34 back.

The three-week race ends Sunday in Paris.