New York ? With nothing to play for in October, the New York Mets are looking to finish the season with a strong September.

Mike Piazza hit a two-run homer to back Steve Trachsel’s solid pitching and the Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 Wednesday night.

After beginning the season with postseason expectations, the biggest goal left for the Mets is to finish in second place. New York trails Montreal by 31â2 games.

“Obviously everyone wants to go into the offseason with a positive feeling,” Piazza said. “We’ve all been frustrated at times this season. But guys still have pride and want to do well and finish strong.”

The Mets won their fifth straight game at Shea Stadium since snapping an NL record 15-game home losing streak and took a 318-317 lead in the all-time series against Chicago.

New York has won 11 of 16 games overall since ending the home skid.

“We had a lousy month and now we’re having a good month,” Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. “We’re playing good baseball. It’s important. These are major-league games and people are paying major-league prices to see it.”

Todd Hundley hit his 200th career homer and Kerry Wood (11-10) reached 200 strikeouts for the second straight season for the Cubs, who lost for the eighth time in 12 games.

Chicago slugger Sammy Sosa went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and remained three homers shy of 50 this season and 500 in his career.

Trachsel (10-11) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings to win for the first time in three tries against his original team.

“When things are going good, you don’t want it to end,” said Trachsel, who has a 2.36 ERA in his last six starts. “You want to carry it over into the offseason.”

D’backs 10, Padres 3

San Diego Greg Colbrunn hit for the cycle, including a pair of two-run homers, and scored four times as Arizona routed San Diego.

Colbrunn went 5-for-6 to set a career high and tie a club record for hits. He completed the cycle with a triple into the right-field corner with one out in the ninth going into the game, Colbrunn had only 10 triples in 2,660 career at-bats.

Colbrunn singled and scored in the first inning, struck out in the third, hit a 406-foot, two-run homer in the fourth, doubled and scored in the sixth, then hit his second two-run homer in the seventh.

Matt Williams hit a solo shot in the fourth, and Rick Helling (9-11) won for the first time in seven starts.

Cardinals 8, Rockies 5

Denver Scott Rolen homered twice, including a tiebreaking two-run drive in the ninth inning as St. Louis cut its magic number to four.

St. Louis had only three hits all solo homers until the ninth. Jim Edmonds led off with a walk off Justin Speier (5-1), Rolen homered and pinch-hitter Ivan Cruz followed with a solo shot, the second time the Cardinals hit consecutive homers in the game.

Astros 3, Brewers 1

Milwaukee Brad Lidge had run-scoring hits in his first two major league at-bats and pitched three scoreless innings.

Lidge, making his first major start, had an RBI double in the second and a run-scoring single off Glendon Rusch (10-14).

Milwaukee’s Jose Hernandez struck out twice, moving within one of the season record of 189, set by Bobby Bonds in 1970.

Brandon Puffer (2-3) won, and Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for his 33rd save.

Phillies 6, Braves 5

Atlanta Pinch-hitter Jeremy Giambi hit a three-run homer and Philadelphia held off Atlanta.

Carlos Silva (5-0) worked two innings in relief of starter Brett Myers, helping the Phillies win for the fifth time in seven games.

Pirates 3, Reds 2

Pittsburgh Pinch hitter Rob Mackowiak hit a two-run single, capping Pittsburgh’s three-run rally in the eighth. The Pirates overcame homers by Ken Griffey Jr. and Jose Guillen.

Mike Lincoln (2-4) pitched the eighth and Mike Williams worked the ninth for his 43rd save. John Riedling (2-3) was the loser.

Expos 4, Marlins 2

Miami Vladimir Guerrero singled home the go-ahead run off Oswaldo Mairena (2-3) in the 11th as Montreal (76-76) reached .500 for the first time this late in the season since 1996.

Joey Eischen (5-1) entered the game in the bottom of the ninth and pitched 11â3 innings.

Late Tuesday game Giants 6, Dodgers 4

Los Angeles Barry Bonds hit a two-run double in a four-run second inning, helping San Francisco beat Los Angeles. Kirk Rueter (13-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in five-plus.