MIAMI — Facing a wild Matt Lindstrom in the ninth inning, Shane Victorino wanted to avoid taking a 98-mph fastball in the ribs.

He hit a game-deciding grand slam instead.

Victorino's two-out homer highlighted a seven-run rally in the ninth last night against closer Lindstrom, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins, 7-3.

The Marlins took a three-hitter into the ninth and were two outs from a 3-0 victory when pinch hitter Matt Stairs singled home the Phillies' first run. Lindstrom walked in a run before Victorino, a St. Anthony High alum from Maui, hit his second homer of the year on a 2-1 pitch.

Victorino's only other grand slam came in the playoffs last year to beat Milwaukee and C.C. Sabathia. How did the homers compare?

"They're both big,"Victorino said. "A home run is a home run for a little guy like me. It's not like I hit many."

Five pitches later, Chase Utley hit his fifth homer.

CARDINALS 4, CUBS 3

Albert Pujols singled off Carlos Marmol (0-1), stole second and scored on a single by Ryan Ludwick in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 3-all tie as St. Louis beat Chicago for its eighth straight home victory.

METS 4, NATIONALS 3

Johan Santana (3-1) allowed one run and six hits in six innings with 10 strikeouts, and Carlos Beltran got his 1,000th RBI on his 32nd birthday, helping host New York defeat Washington to end a four-game losing streak.

BREWERS 5, ASTROS 2

Yovani Gallardo (2-1) gave up a two-run homer to Carlos Lee in the fourth inning, one of only five hits he allowed, and Prince Fielder drove in the go-ahead run in a four-run top of the fifth as Milwaukee beat Houston.

BRAVES 4, REDS 3

Jeff Francoeur hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth to break a 2-all tie, Matt Diaz singled home a run in the seventh for a 4-2 lead and Javier Vazquez (2-1) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings as Atlanta held on to beat Cincinnati.

GIANTS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1

Tim Lincecum (1-1) allowed a run and five hits with 12 strikeouts in eight innings, and Bengie Molina went 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs to lead visiting San Francisco past Arizona for its fourth straight win.

DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 5

James Loney led off the top of the ninth inning with a double and scored on Brad Ausmus' single to left to break a 5-all tie as Los Angeles blew a 5-3 lead in the eighth, but beat Colorado.

PADRES 4, PIRATES 3

Brian Giles singled to right field to score Chris Burke from second base with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning as San Diego ended a three-game losing streak, while stopping Pittsburgh's three-game winning streak.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RED SOX 5, YANKEES 4

Jason Bay homered off Mariano Rivera with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, and Kevin Youkilis hit a solo shot in the 11th, helping Boston beat New York for its eighth straight victory.

ROYALS 6, TIGERS 1

Zack Greinke (4-0) allowed three hits and struck out 10 in his second straight complete game, but had his string of scoreless innings end at 38 — 14 last season and 24 to start the year — as host Kansas City beat Detroit.

RAYS 8, ATHLETICS 2

Carlos Pena hit a pair of home runs, Scott Kazmir (3-1) allowed two hits over six scoreless innings as visiting Tampa Bay beat Oakland and starter Trevor Cahill (0-2), who lasted 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

RANGERS 5, ORIOLES 4

Michael Young hit a two-out, two-run homer off George Sherrill (0-1) in the top of the ninth inning and Frank Francisco got three straight outs for his third save as Texas rallied from a 4-1 deficit to defeat Baltimore.

TWINS 5, INDIANS 1

Justin Morneau homered on Fausto Carmona's first pitch of the fourth inning to break a 1-all tie and Nick Blackburn (1-1), winless in his first three starts, allowed one run and six hits over seven innings to lead visiting Minnesota past Cleveland.

BLUE JAYS 14, WHITE SOX 0

Adam Lind hit three doubles, Aaron Hill drove in three runs and Brian Tallet (1-0) spaced four hits over 5 2/3 innings, with two relievers finishing off the six-hitter as visiting Toronto routed Chicago.

MARINERS 8, ANGELS 3

Russell Branyan homered and had a run-scoring double in his return after missing the previous five games because of lower back spasms, and visiting Seattle used a six-run fifth inning to beat Los Angeles.