By The Associated Press
Cincinnati – Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff home run, extending his hitting streak to 30 games, and fell a double short of the cycle Sunday as the Philadelphia Phillies gained a game in the NL wild-card race with a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The Phillies have won four of five and are a game behind Houston. Both teams have six games left.
“I don’t think about the streak too much, maybe a couple of times in the hotel room,” Rollins said. “I told myself to not get caught up in it.”
Chase Utley added his first career inside-the-park homer and Cory Lidle turned in his longest outing in seven starts.
Rollins’ 11th home run of the season, off Reds left-hander Randy Keisler, matched St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols for the longest hitting streak in the majors since Vladimir Guerrero hit in 31 straight for the Montreal Expos in 1999.
The leadoff homer was Rollins’ third of the season and 12th of his career.
“He’s the key player right now,” Lidle said. “He’s getting on base, he’s stealing bags, he’s making the pitchers think about something other than the hitters. It’s fun to watch.”
D’backs 4, Padres 3, 10 innings
Phoenix – Chad Tracy singled home Andy Green in the 10th inning, reducing San Diego’s lead in the NL West to four games over San Francisco.
Akinori Otsuka (2-8) took the loss for the second day in a row.
He gave up an infield single to pinch-hitter Green leading off the 10th, then threw the ball away on Craig Counsell’s sacrifice bunt for an error, leaving runners at second and third with none out.
The Padres lost their last two in Arizona to drop one game below .500 (77-78).
“I don’t think we feel like we have a lot of pressure on us,” Joe Randa said, “but we feel like we need to finish the job.”
Cubs 3, Astros 2
Chicago – Jeromy Burnitz hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning as Houston’s NL wild-card lead was cut to one game.
The Astros took a 2-1 lead into the seventh and turned the game over to their bullpen, which hadn’t given up a run since Wednesday.
But Chad Qualls got in trouble quickly, allowing a leadoff single to Derrek Lee. With two out, Mike Gallo (0-1) relieved, but Burnitz sent a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left-center for his 24th homer.
Braves 5, Marlins 3
Atlanta – Marcus Giles hit a tying two-run homer, then drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly as Atlanta (89-67) swept the three-game series and lowered its magic number for clinching the NL East to two.
Mets 6, Nationals 5
Washington – Mike Piazza hit two homers as Washington was eliminated from playoff contention and dropped to last place in the NL East.
Cardinals 2, Brewers 0
Milwaukee – Jeff Suppan allowed six hits in eight innings and Jim Edmonds homered as St. Louis snapped a three-game losing streak.
Dodgers 9, Pirates 2
Los Angeles – Derek Lowe pitched six solid innings, pinch-hitter Jason Phillips drove in the go-ahead runs in a six-run sixth, and Los Angeles got its second win in nine games.
