Edgar Renteria capped a 13-pitch at-bat in the first inning with a three-run homer and matched his career high with five RBIs, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-4 on Sunday.
Larry Walker hit a grand slam, the seventh of his career and second in five days, in the eighth inning for the Cardinals, who have the majors' best record at 82-42 after winning 15 of 19.
PHOTO: AP
After a 6-2 homestand, the Cardinals are 40 games above .500 for the first time since the last game of 1985. St. Louis has won eight straight series and 14 of 15.
Matt Morris (13-8) allowed two runs and 10 hits for the win after a rough start. Steve Kline got the final five outs for his third save.
Jason Bay homered and went 4-for-4 with two RBIs for the Pirates.
Morris added a sacrifice fly in the fourth off Ryan Vogelsong (4-10).
Cubs 11, Astros 6
At Houston, Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer, Moises Alou also homered and Chicago beat Houston.
Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood, manager Dusty Baker and Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt were ejected after the right-handers plunked four players.
Wood, returning from a five-game suspension for arguing with an umpire, was ejected for hitting Jeff Kent with a pitch on the left arm. The right-hander had already hit Mike Lamb and Carlos Beltran.
The Cubs were leading 10-2 at the time, and Wood finished two outs short of earning his eighth win.
John Leicester (4-0) got the win, allowing three runs on four hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Oswalt (13-9) was also tossed from the game in the third for hitting Michael Barrett in the back after allowing the homer to Ramirez. Both benches emptied as Barrett approached the mound, but no punches were thrown.
Phillies 9, Brewers 6, 10 innings
At Milwaukee, Jason Michaels' RBI single snapped a tie, and Philadelphia scored five times in the 10th inning before holding off Milwaukee to earn a three-game sweep.
Philadelphia entered the series following a seven-game losing streak, all at home, but the Phillies ended up sweeping the Brewers in Milwaukee for the first time.
Felix Rodriquez (5-6), the fourth Phillies pitcher, pitched one inning for the victory. Tim Worrell relieved Roberto Hernandez in the bottom half of the 10th and got the final out for his 16th save in 22 chances.
Dan Kolb (0-3) took the loss for the Brewers. Gary Bennett hit a home run and drove in three runs for Milwaukee, which lost its season-high fifth straight. The Brewers have dropped 17 of 22.
Giants 3, Mets 1
At San Francisco, Barry Bonds hit a two-run homer in the first inning to support a strong effort by Kirk Rueter and help San Francisco beat New York.
Bonds' 693rd career homer and 35th of the season highlighted a three-run first inning. The slugging outfielder, who reached base seven straight times during the series, is 21 homers shy of tying Babe Ruth for second on baseball's career list.
Rueter (7-9) allowed five hits in seven innings, his longest outing since pitching eight on May 7. Dustin Hermanson recorded the final four outs for his fifth save. Ray Durham led off the first with a homer as the Giants remained on top of the NL wild card chase by winning for the ninth time in 11 games.
Richard Hidalgo led off the fourth inning with a homer for the Mets, who lost their fourth in seven games. Matt Ginter (1-3) pitched effectively.
Other results: Expos 8, Rockies 2; Marlins 8, Padres 3; Braves 10, Dodgers 1; Reds 11, Diamondbacks 1.
Bengie Molina went 4-for-4 with a three-run homer, Kelvim Escobar outpitched Kevin Brown and the Anaheim Angels completed a three-game sweep of the slumping New York Yankees with a 4-3 victory on Sunday.
Gary Sheffield homered and had two RBIs for the Yankees, who scored only four runs in the series and were booed by a sellout crowd of 53,885.
New York lost for the sixth time in seven games and has been outscored 37-11 in the defeats. Pending Boston's game in Chicago on Sunday night, the Yankees' AL East lead dipped to six games for the first time since July 10. They were ahead of the rival Red Sox by a season-high 10-and-a-half games just last Sunday.
The Angels pulled off their first sweep of New York since May 11 to May 13, 1999, also at Yankee Stadium, and finished 5-1 on a road trip that included a stop in Tampa Bay. It was their fifth straight win and 13th in 17 games.
Escobar (8-9) allowed just three hits and struck out eight in seven stellar innings, winning for the third time in four starts.
Brendan Donnelly gave up Sheffield's 31st home run in the eighth, cutting it to 4-3, but Troy Percival pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save in 29 chances. He threw only four pitches.
Brown (9-3) lost for the first time in 10 starts at home this season.
Devil Rays 2, Athletics 1
At St. Petersburg, Dewon Brazelton pitched seven strong innings, and Jose Cruz Jr. hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth to lift the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the Oakland Athletics.
Brazelton (6-4) gave up one run and five hits to improve to 6-1 at home this season.
Cruz's solo shot broke a 1-1 tie and helped the Devil Rays snap a four-game losing streak and win for just the second time in 12 games.
Jesus Colome pitched the final two innings for his third save.
Mark Redman (9-10) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. The Athletics went 5-1 on a six-game road trip.
Mariners 5, Tigers 3
At Detroit, Willie Bloomquist hit his first homer in more than 13 months -- a go-ahead three-run shot in the fifth inning -- to lead the Seattle Mariners over the Detroit Tigers.
Gil Meche (4-5) allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 inning, helping Seattle avoid a three-game sweep.
Other results: Blue Jays 8, Orioles 5; Twins 7, Indians 3; Royals 10, Rangers 2; Red Sox 6, White Sox 5.
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