Cincinnati ? The Houston Astros are hitting their way into the NL wild-card race.

Brad Ausmus hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning as the surging Astros reached double figures in runs for the third time in the last four games in an 11-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.

Lance Berkman homered twice and drove in four runs for the Astros, who have scored a combined 43 runs in their last four games and won for the seventh time in eight games.

“We’re taking the pressure off of our pitchers,” said Berkman, who had the 13th multihomer game of his career and fifth against Cincinnati. “Hopefully, we’re getting on a roll at the right time. We had a period of time when things weren’t going well, and it was all gloom and doom. Now, it’s going the other way.”

Houston remained just four games behind Chicago, which leads the NL wild-card race. The Astros won the last three of their four-game series against the Cubs over the weekend before beating the Reds.

“You know how many runs they scored in the Chicago series,” Reds manager Dave Miley said. “They’re hitting the ball well.”

Pete Munro (3-5) went five-plus innings to win for the first time in seven starts since July 25. He gave up three runs and eight hits, and struck out a season-high six.

Adam Dunn hit his 40th homer for the Reds, and Felipe Lopez added a two-run shot.

“It’s just not good timing for us right now,” Dunn said. “We’re playing as bad as we’ve played in a while, and it doesn’t help to be playing teams that are really hot.”

Houston's Jeff Kent (12) slides safely into home plate to beat the tag from Cincinnati catcher Jason LaRue after a Jose Vizcaino sacrifice fly during the seventh inning. The Astros claimed an 11-3 victory over the Reds on Monday in Cincinnati.

With the game tied at 3, Jeff Kent reached on a leadoff infield single, Mike Lamb grounded into fielder’s choice, Jose Vizcaino singled, and Ausmus homered to center on a 3-0 pitch from Phil Norton (1-5).

It was Ausmus’ first homer in 59 at-bats since July 25.

“We’ve been getting timely hitting, just not usually from me,” Ausmus said. “I was looking for a fastball up and out over the plate, and I was lucky enough to get one.”

Houston broke it open with a four-run seventh, including Berkman’s two-run double and Ausmus’s run-scoring single. Berkman scored when Dunn failed to catch Kent’s drive to the warning track in left for a two-base error.

The Astros scored an unearned run in the first when Craig Biggio scored from third on third baseman Ryan Freel’s two-out fielding error on Kent’s sharp grounder.

Munro made it 2-0 in the second, driving in Vizcaino with a sacrifice fly for the third RBI of his five-year career — and first since 2002.

Berkman made it 3-0 with his 22nd homer, and second in two days, in the third off Luke Hudson.

The Reds tied it in the fifth. Freel hit a leadoff double and Lopez followed with a drive to center off Munro for his fifth homer. One out later, Dunn hit his 40th — becoming the eighth player in team history to hit that many.

Hudson allowed three runs — two earned — and four hits in a career-low four innings.

Cubs 5, Expos 2

Montreal — Greg Maddux threw seven shutout innings for his 302nd career win and also drove in a run, leading Chicago past Montreal. Maddux (13-8), who became the 22nd pitcher in major-league history to reach 300 wins on Aug. 7, scattered five hits, struck out two and walked none. LaTroy Hawkins got one out for his 20th save in 26 opportunities. Chicago, swept by Houston in three straight at home over the weekend, regained the NL wild-card lead, moving a half-game ahead of idle San Diego. Terrmel Sledge hit a two-run homer off Jon Leicester in the ninth for the Expos, who lost their third straight and fell to 3-5 on their season-high 13-game homestand.

Marlins 6, Mets 4

New York — Damion Easley, starting because of an injury to Luis Castillo, hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, and Florida extended its winning streak to four. Florida overcame a shaky outing by Dontrelle Willis, who allowed three homers for the first time in his career, including one to Mike Piazza in his return from the disabled list. Miguel Cabrera also hit a two-run homer, and Juan Pierre had four hits for the Marlins, who remained four games back of the wild-card leading Chicago Cubs and also trail San Diego and San Francisco.

Braves 7, Giants 6

Atlanta — Andruw Jones capped a ninth-inning rally with a game-winning single, and J.D. Drew went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Braves. Drew led off the ninth with a single to right off Giants closer Dustin Hermanson. Julio Franco followed with another shot that rolled past right fielder Ricky Ledee for a run-scoring triple. After Hermanson walked Eli Marrero, Jones lined a 2-2 pitch into right field to drive in pinch-runner Mike Hampton with the winning run. Hermanson (5-6) gave up two runs and three hits without recording an out for his second blown save in nine chances.

Pirates 5, Brewers 1

Milwaukee — Daryle Ward homered twice and had five RBIs, and Pittsburgh sent Milwaukee to its 12th straight loss. Milwaukee tied its NL record for consecutive losses and has scored just seven runs in its last five games. The franchise mark for consecutive losses is 14 in 1994, when the team played in the American League. Josh Fogg (9-9) scattered five hits in 62/3 shutout innings for his third win in his last four starts.