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Twin homers lead Astros past Phillies

Astros second-baseman Craig Biggio jumps over the Philadelphia Phillies' David Bell after throwing to first base in the second inning on Monday in Houston. Biggio was unable to complete the double play and Ryan Howard was safe at first base on the fielder's choice. PHOTO: AP

Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman set an Astros record by hitting consecutive home runs twice in one game, and Andy Pettitte won his fifth straight decision to lead Houston past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-1 on Monday night.

Jason Lane also connected for Houston, which has won eight of nine and 20 of 27.

The Phillies lost for only the fourth time in 13 games but have dropped seven of 10 on the road. They also have lost seven straight to the Astros and haven't won in Houston since May 18, 2003.

The win moved the Astros a half-game ahead of Philadelphia in the NL wild-card race, three games behind Washington and Atlanta, who are tied for the NL East lead.

Pettitte (8-7) is 5-0 in seven starts since losing June 14 at Baltimore. The left-hander allowed just Jimmy Rollins' homer in seven innings.

The Astros got to Cory Lidle (8-9) early when Biggio and Berkman connected in the first inning. Biggio then hit his 15th of the season in the third with Willy Taveras aboard. Berkman followed with his 11th home run.

Cubs 3, Giants 2

In Chicago, Jeromy Burnitz hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Chicago rallied past San Francisco.

Shut down by Jason Schmidt for seven innings, Chicago tied the game in the eighth on Neifi Perez's bases-loaded single.

Ronny Cedeno led off the ninth with a single against Tyler Walker (3-3) and was sacrificed to second by Jerry Hairston. Todd Walker followed with a single to right with Cedeno holding at third before Derrek Lee was walked intentionally to load the bases.

Jeff Fassero, the Giants' sixth pitcher in the final two innings, relieved and Burnitz hit a line drive to center. Jason Ellison caught it and made a strong throw to the plate, but Cedeno just beat the tag and slid in with the game-winning run.

Ryan Dempster (4-3) pitched the ninth for the win.

Brewers 4, Diamondbacks 2

In Milwaukee, J.J. Hardy hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning to back Ben Sheets, and Milwaukee beat Arizona.

Hardy, in a 0-for-11 slide, connected off Tim Worrell (0-2) for his third homer in 216 at-bats this year.

Lyle Overbay and Brady Clark also homered for the Brewers. Sheets (6-7) allowed two runs in seven innings with seven strikeouts. Derrick Turnbow finished for his 21st save in 23 chances.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays matched their longest winning streak of the season with their fourth straight victory, beating Curt Schilling and the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Monday night on Aubrey Huff's two-out RBI double in the 10th inning.

Jorge Cantu scored from first base when the game-winning hit off Schilling (2-4) soared over right fielder Trot Nixon's head and bounced off the wall to end Boston's first extra-inning game of the season.

Jesus Colome (2-2) pitched 2 1-3 innings for the win as Tampa Bay, which swept Baltimore over the weekend, improved to 8-3 since the All-Star break. Boston's lead in the AL East shrunk to one game over second-place New York.

The Red Sox set a major league record to start a season by not playing extra-innings until their 99th game.

Rangers 4, Orioles 2

In Baltimore, Alfonso Soriano homered among his three hits and drove in two runs, helping Texas stop a five-game losing streak.

Joaquin Benoit (2-1) blanked Baltimore on four hits over five innings in his second start of the season. The first came last Wednesday, when he allowed six runs in five innings in a loss to the New York Yankees.

Francisco Cordero, the fifth Texas pitcher, worked the ninth for his 23rd save, getting Miguel Tejada to hit into a game-ending double play,

It was a bad night for Baltimore in more ways than one. Not only did the Orioles extend their losing streak to six games, tying a season high, but they also lost a possible addition of San Diego Padres first baseman Phil Nevin, who blocked a proposed trade that would have sent him to the Orioles for pitcher Sidney Ponson.

Jay Gibbons homered and Melvin Mora had three hits for the Orioles, who dropped to two games over .500 (50-48) for the first time since April 21.

Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera (8-8) pitched five innings, giving up three runs, three hits and a career-high seven walks.

White Sox 14, Royals 6

In Kansas City, Missouri, Jermaine Dye had three hits and drove in four runs, and Juan Uribe homered among his three hits and had three RBIs to lead Chicago in a rout of Kansas City.

Scott Podsednik, Aaron Rowand, Willie Harris and A.J. Pierzynski each added three hits for the White Sox, who matched a season high with 22 hits, the most allowed by the Royals this year.

Podsednik stole his AL-leading 51st base and Pierzynski hit a solo shot in the ninth inning as the White Sox improved to 10-0 against the Royals this season.
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