The Philadelphia Phillies' 10-5 home loss to the Chicago Cubs yesterday at Citizens Bank Park was not the end of the world, just the end of a 10-game winning streak, their longest since 1991 and the longest by a defending World Series champion since the Baltimore Orioles in 1971.

It was also extensive enough to show what the Phillies can accomplish when they string together quality starts from the rotation and when Jimmy Rollins is igniting the fuse from the leadoff spot.

"We put ourselves in a good position right now," Maui's Shane Victorino said after several Phillies comeback efforts were undermined by an ineffective Chad Durbin and lack of timely hitting. "For the most part, we let everyone know when we put things together we have a shot against anybody."

Victorino is right. The Phillies did put themselves in a good position, and it started on July 3, when they began a run of 14 wins in 15 games heading into yesterday.

The wheels that carried the Phillies through the first three weeks of July wobbled yesterday. Jamie Moyer had one bad inning when the Cubs delivered one paper cut after another — stringing together five straight hits, four singles and a double — for a 4-0 lead in the fourth.

"At times I felt like my command could have been a little bit better down and away," Moyer said.

Still the Phillies were only down, 5-3, when Durbin entered in the seventh. He pitched to five batters. Three of them scored before Scott Eyre put matters back in order.

Aramis Ramirez and Jeff Baker had two-run doubles for Chicago.

Carlos Zambrano (7-4) won his third straight start for the Cubs, who avoided their first three-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1999.

BRAVES 4, GIANTS 2:

Jair Jurrjens gave up three hits in 7 2/3 innings, Yunel Escobar hit a three-run homer and surging Atlanta beat Tim Lincecum and visiting San Francisco. Escobar's third-inning homer gave the Braves a 4-0 lead over Lincecum, who lost for the first time in five weeks.

MARLINS 5, PADRES 0:

Ricky Nolasco struck out 10 and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, leading visiting Florida to a victory that completed a three-game sweep. Chris Coghlan hit a two-run homer off Heath Bell in the ninth.

ASTROS 4, CARDINALS 3:

Miguel Tejada singled in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning to help host Houston complete a three-game sweep.

ROCKIES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 3:

Todd Helton hit a go-ahead homer off Scott Schoeneweis (1-2) in the eighth inning and drove in a run with his 500th career double for host Colorado.

PIRATES 8, BREWERS 7:

Brandon Moss hit Pittsburgh's season-high fifth homer of the game leading off the ninth inning and the host Pirates won a series against Milwaukee for the first time in nearly two years.

NATIONALS 3, METS 1:

Craig Stammen pitched into the eighth inning, allowing one run and four hits over 7 1/3 innings, and Josh Willingham hit a tiebreaking two-run homer for host Washington in its second straight victory.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RANGERS 3, RED SOX 1:

Dustin Nippert allowed one run while pitching into the sixth inning of a spot start for flu-ridden Vicente Padilla, and host Texas completed a three-game sweep of slumping Boston. David Murphy had two hits for the Rangers, who swept a series against Boston for the first time since 2004.

YANKEES 6, ORIOLES 4:

A.J. Burnett won his fourth straight decision and Nick Swisher had a two-run single and made three fine plays in the outfield to lead host New York to its sixth consecutive victory. Jorge Posada homered and drove in two runs, Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single and Mariano Rivera earned his fifth save in six days.

ANGELS 9, ROYALS 6:

Maicer Izturis had four RBIs and visiting Los Angeles scored five runs in the eighth against Kansas City's beleaguered bullpen to complete a three-game sweep. Izturis hit a two-run homer off starter Brian Bannister and Howie Kendrick added a solo shot off him in the seventh.

WHITE SOX 4, RAYS 3:

Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run triple and Jermaine Dye added a go-ahead RBI single in host Chicago's seventh inning. Scott Podsednik homered for the White Sox, who pulled within one game of Detroit in the AL Central.

ATHLETICS 16, TWINS 1:

Rajai Davis drove in four runs, Scott Hairston hit a three-run homer and the host Athletics jumped all over Minnesota starter Glen Perkins in their highest scoring game in nearly two years. Matt Holliday went 3 for 3 with three runs scored and Orlando Cabrera reached base safely three times in the first two innings, scoring twice and knocking in two runs as the A's took a 12-1 lead after two innings. Oakland finished with 18 hits.

MARINERS 2, TIGERS 1:

Russell Branyan hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning to give Felix Hernandez and visiting Seattle the victory.

BLUE JAYS 10, INDIANS 6:

Marco Scutaro hit two of host Toronto's season-high five home runs and matched his career-high with four RBIs.