Cubs 5, Brewers 3
Chicago - Jacque Jones hit a game-tying two-run double in the seventh and scored the go-ahead run on an error by reliever Scott Linebrink as Chicago rallied to beat Milwaukee.
The first-place Cubs scored four runs in the seventh to increase their lead over the Brewers in the NL Central to 2 1/2 games.
The three-game series is the final meeting this season between the Brewers, who had spent 125 days in first this season, and the Cubs, who have been tied for first or in sole possession of the lead since Aug. 17.
The slumping Brewers lost for the 11th time in 14 games. And this was a tough one to take.
Milwaukee starter Jeff Suppan, winless in 12 starts since June 22, was staked to a 3-0 lead and was still ahead 3-1 headed into the bottom of the seventh.
But he was removed after hitting leadoff batter Cliff Floyd with a pitch. Mark DeRosa greeted Linebrink by beating out an infield single to short.
Jones then drove a pitch into the alley in right-center field to score both runners and tie the game. After an intentional walk to Daryle Ward and Alfonso Soriano's fly out, Ryan Theriot hit a high bouncer back to the mound. Linebrink jumped for the ball but it went in and out of his glove for an error as Jones raced home with the go-ahead run.
Derrek Lee followed with an RBI single to left finish Linebrink (4-6) and give the Cubs a 5-3 lead.
Chicago starter Rich Hill (8-7), who struck out the first four batters and five of the first six he faced, allowed seven hits and three runs in seven innings, finishing with nine strikeouts.
Marlins 4, Braves 3, 11 inn.
Miami - Shuffling its rotation to line up John Smoltz to pitch against the New York Mets this weekend didn't work out too well for Atlanta. After Smoltz fell behind early and the Braves rallied on Chipper Jones' two-run homer, Alejandro De Aza's 11th-inning sacrifice fly gave the Florida Marlins a 4-3 victory over Atlanta on Tuesday night.
Padres 6, Diamondbacks 4
San Diego - Mike Cameron homered to start a four-run rally off reigning NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb in the sixth inning, and San Diego beat Arizona to pull within one game of the division-leading Diamondbacks.
Webb (14-9) allowed a season-high six-earned runs in 5 1-3 innings and had his six-game winning streak snapped. It was his shortest outing since June 22, when he lasted five innings in a 7-1 loss to Baltimore.
Pirates 6-3, Reds 4-2
Pittsburgh - Freddy Sanchez drove in five runs in the opener, then tripled and scored the winning run in the eighth inning of the second game to give Pittsburgh a doubleheader sweep. The Reds had won six in a row and nine of 11, only to be swept by Pittsburgh in a doubleheader for the first time since September 2000. The Pirates have won 10 of 13 and are 17-10 in August, their most wins in a month since they had the same record in May 2004.
Cardinals 7, Astros 0
Houston - So much for Cecil Cooper's managerial debut with Houston. Chris Duncan shook off an August slump with a three-run homer and an RBI single to help St. Louis beat the Astros, ruining Cooper's first game as Phil Garner's successor.
Garner was fired on Monday and replaced by Cooper after Houston limped to a 58-73 record. But the Astros looked like the same, floundering team with Cooper in charge, plagued by mediocre pitching and feeble hitting.
Duncan, meanwhile, snapped a 28-game home run drought with a three-run drive into the upper deck in the first inning off Houston starter Woody Williams (8-13). Duncan was hitting just .167 with only three RBIs this month before Tuesday's outburst.
Phillies 4, Mets 2, 10 inn.
Philadelphia - Ryan Howard's two-run home run off Guillermo Mota in the 10th inning capped a late rally. Shane Victorino, who scored the tying run in the eighth on a pair of bizarre plays, opened the 10th with a bloop single off Mota (1-1). Then Howard hit a 1-2 pitch deep the opposite way into the left-field seats for his 35th homer, giving the Phillies wins in the first two games of this pivotal four-game series.
Brett Myers (3-5) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win. The Phillies now trail the NL East-leading Mets by four games.
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