Carlos Beltran hit his 40th home run and Cliff Floyd added a two-run drive for the Mets, whose magic number for clinching the NL East title for the first time since 1988 remained at four.
Dave Williams (5-4) lasted only three-plus innings, giving up nine earned runs and 11 hits.
Cubs 8, Braves 3
In Atlanta, Derrek Lee homered twice and Jacque Jones hit a three-run shot as Chicago avoided a sweep with only its fourth win in 22 games.
Lee hit a three-run homer in the third to chase John Smoltz (12-9) and added a solo shot in the fifth on the first pitch from Ken Ray, one of eight pitchers used by Atlanta.
Cardinals 7, Astros 0
In St. Louis, Chris Carpenter (14-6) pitched a six-hitter, struck out six and walked two in his third shutout, tying Arizona's Brandon Webb for the major league lead.
Ronnie Belliard, who had been in an 0-for-20 slide, had four RBIs for the Cardinals, who lead the NL Central by five games over Cincinnati and six over the Astros.
Pirates 4, Braves 3
In Pittsburgh, Zach Duke (9-13) tied his season high with seven strikeouts in eight innings, allowing two runs and five hits, and Chris Duffy hit two-run single off Doug Davis (10-10) for a 4-2 lead in the fourth.
Nationals 7, Diamondbacks 6
In Phoenix, Jose Vidro drove in four runs, including a bases-loaded walk from Luis Vizcaino (4-5) that put the Nationals ahead in the ninth, and Nick Johnson hit a two-run single.
RSS