Houston ? The crowd was on its feet, beckoning the latest slugging surprise in the Houston Astros’ vaunted offense to re-emerge from the dugout.

Already seated and oblivious to the cheers, Brandon Backe didn’t stir from his daze until his teammates nudged him back outside.

“I was just excited thinking about the home run,” said the 26-year-old pitcher, who was making only his fourth career start. “I was going to go down and sit in my little hole, but they told me to get out there.”

Backe hit his first career homer, a two-run shot, and allowed one run in seven innings to keep the Astros in the thick of the NL wild-card chase with an 11-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday — their season-high 10th straight victory.

Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent also homered for Houston, winners of 18 of 21 since Aug. 15, the best record in the majors during that stretch.

The Astros still are 11/2 games behind NL wild card leader Chicago.

Houston hasn’t been within striking range of the Cubs and Giants in more than three months.

Backe (3-2) virtually shut down the Reds after giving up three hits and a run in the first. He gave up only four singles from there, finishing with a career-high eight strikeouts and a walk.

But it was Backe’s performance at the plate that was the biggest surprise.

Backe went 2-for-2 with a walk, including the two-run shot in the fourth that gave Houston a 5-1 lead.

“It was my big dream to be a hitter in the major leagues,” said Backe, who was drafted by Tampa Bay in 1998 as a second baseman. “I never thought I’d be a pitcher. My hitting skills are still there. I practice all the time behind closed doors.”

The crowd of 40,581 gave Backe a standing ovation as rounded the bases and didn’t stop the cheers until he came out from the dugout to doff his cap.

It was the first homer by an Astros pitcher since Ron Villone did it against the Reds on Aug. 15, 2003.

Cubs 9, Expos 1

Chicago — Aramis Ramirez hit a pair of two-run homers, and Carlos Zambrano allowed four hits in eight innings to lead the Cubs.

Mark Grudzielanek, Derrek Lee and Michael Barrett also homered for the Cubs, who played their first game since Wednesday’s 2-1 extra-inning victory at Montreal. The Cubs had their last three games against the Florida Marlins at Miami postponed because of Hurricane Frances.

The Cubs took a half-game game lead over idle San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.

Chicago won without Sammy Sosa, who has bursitis in his right hip and is listed as day to day.

Braves 3, Phillies 1

Atlanta — Replacement starter Travis Smith pitched five solid innings, and Andruw Jones homered again for the Braves.

Smith (1-3), who has spent most of the season at Triple-A, got the start when Mike Hampton couldn’t go because of a stiff neck. The 31-year-old journeyman allowed five hits and a run before giving way to the bullpen.

Brewers 9, Pirates 5

Pittsburgh — Brady Clark drove in four runs, and Milwaukee used a six-run third inning to beat Pittsburgh.

Geoff Jenkins homered leading off the second, then followed Clark’s two-run single in the pivotal third with a two-run double against Pirates starter Ryan Vogelsong (4-12).

Gary Glover (1-0), pitching for his third organization this season, got the victory in his Brewers debut despite giving up Rob Mackowiak’s two-run homer in the fourth. Glover allowed four runs and six hits in five-plus innings.

Padres 7, Cardinals 3

San Diego — Ryan Klesko singled in the go-ahead run with none out in the eighth inning, and San Diego kept alive its slim playoff hopes while ending St. Louis’ nine-game winning streak.

With the score tied at 3 and the bases loaded in the eighth, Klesko hit a chopper over the head of first baseman Albert Pujols to score Ramon Vazquez.

Khalil Greene followed with a sacrifice fly, Terrence Long had a pinch-hit RBI single and another run scored on the play on a throwing error by Pujols.