Greg Maddux got a big lift from Aramis Ramirez in a showdown with Andy Pettitte.

Maddux limited Houston to one run and three hits in seven innings, and Ramirez homered and doubled twice off Pettitte to help the Chicago Cubs snap a six-game road losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Astros on Tuesday night.

Pettitte (10-9) allowed eight hits and three runs in seven innings.

"When you face somebody as good as him, you really got to try harder," Maddux said. "I think mentally you burn out quicker than you normally do."

Maddux (10-9) passed Gaylord Perry for 16th place on the career victory list with No. 315. The 39-year-old right-hander threw only 70 pitches.

In Houston, Ramirez was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, his last a high-arching solo homer to left in sixth. He has 30 homers this season, nine against left-handers.

At Atlanta, Olmedo Saenz drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single in the ninth for Los Angeles against Braves closer Chris Reitsma.

At Cincinnati, Deivi Cruz and Pedro Feliz set career highs with five hits, and San Francisco came from behind to overpower Cincinnati.

At St. Louis, So Taguchi matched career highs with four hits and three RBI, and Jeff Suppan pitched seven strong innings for the Cardinals.

At Miami, Miguel Olivo tripled and Mark Loretta doubled in a three-run sixth, and Brian Lawrence (7-12) allowed six hits and a run in five innings for San Diego.Trevor Hoffman earned his 31st save to tie John Franco for second place on the career list with 424. Lee Smith is the career leader with 478.

At Denver, Victor Santos (4-11) earned his second win in 14 starts, and Wes Helms homered and drove in two runs for Milwaukee.

Shannon Stewart hit a go-ahead single in a five-run 16th inning, and Minnesota sent Chicago to its first four-game losing streak of the year.Minnesota tied the score at 4 in the top of the ninth when Michael Cuddyer homered off closer Dustin Hermanson, handing him his second blown save in 32 chances.Cuddyer also made a great stop at third base in the 11th to rob Joe Crede of a hit with the potential winning run at second.The Twins' bullpen threw 9scoreless innings, and Minnesota's offense finally broke through in the 16th. Joe Mauer's RBI double provided a two-run cushion, Terry Tiffee added a two-run single and Lew Ford another RBI single.

At Detroit, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek both homered twice and drove in four runs, and Boston scored seven times in the 10th to end the Tigers' three-game winning streak.Pinch-hitter Bill Mueller snapped a 3-3 tie with an RBI groundout. Ortiz and Varitek connected later in the inning for the Red Sox, who have won seven of eight.

At St. Petersburg, Fla., Eduardo Perez homered off Randy Johnson and Mariano Rivera, tying the score in the ninth with his second shot of the game. Jonny Gomes drew a bases-loaded walk in the 11th, ending New York's five-game winning streak.

At Cleveland, Ronnie Belliard hit a three-run double to snap a seventh-inning tie and Jhonny Peralta homered twice for the Indians, who broke a three-game skid by handing Texas its eighth straight loss.

At Oakland, Calif., Brian Roberts scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a disputed error and the Athletics lost their third straight.Rafael Palmeiro, facing constant boos in his second game back in the lineup following a 10-game suspension for steroids, doubled, singled and scored.

At Anaheim, Calif., Francisco Rodriguez walked Corey Koskie with the bases loaded in the ninth to force in the tying run, and pinch-hitter Frank Catalanotto followed with a sacrifice fly for Toronto.