By The Associated Press
San Diego – The San Diego Padres have staggered to the cusp of the West title.
Ramon Hernandez hit a go-ahead grand slam and drove in a career-high seven runs to lead the Padres to a 9-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night, reducing their magic number to two for clinching the division crown.
The Padres, who overcame Barry Bonds’ 708th homer – a three-run shot – can wrap up the fourth division championship in their 37-year history by winning one of the two remaining games in this four-game series with the second-place Giants. San Diego has a four-game lead with five to play.
The Padres’ luck changed when they needed it to the most. Unable to string together big innings down the stretch, the Padres did just that thanks to an error by Giants first baseman J.T. Snow one batter ahead of Hernandez in the fourth. With San Diego trailing 6-5 with two out and two on, pinch-hitter Eric Young hit a check-swing grounder between first and second that bounced off the heel of Snow’s glove.
Jeff Fassero (4-7) threw Hernandez a 1-1 fastball up and away, and the catcher drove it the other way an estimated 334 feet into the home-run porch down the right-field line at Petco Park for a 9-6 lead.
Astros 3, Cardinals 1
St. Louis – Roy Oswalt (19-12) won for the fourth time this month as Houston extended its wild-card lead to 2 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jason Lane hit a two-run homer and Craig Biggio hit his 25th, a career best, as the Astros (86-71) matched a season high at 15 games above .500 and snapped a six-game skid in St. Louis. Houston has five games remaining, and the outcome eliminated the New York Mets from playoff contention.
Matt Morris (14-10) lost his career-worst fifth consecutive decision despite working six solid innings. Larry Walker had three hits in his first game back after a fourth cortisone shot for a herniated disc in his neck.
Mets 3, Phillies 2
Philadelphia – Jose Reyes was 4-for-5 with three extra-base hits as New York dampened Philadelphia’s playoff hopes.
Jimmy Rollins extended his hitting streak to a team-record 32 games with a single in the seventh for the Phillies.
“We’re down three games (in the loss column) with four left. That’s a hard battle,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “At the same time, we don’t quit.”
Juan Padilla (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to get the win. Aaron Heilman finished with two scoreless innings for his fourth save, striking out Bobby Abreu with a runner on second to end it.
Pirates 5, Cubs 3
Chicago – Jason Bay’s three- run homer lifted Pittsburgh over Chicago and put Greg Maddux in jeopardy of finishing with a losing record for the first time in 18 years.
Maddux, scheduled to start the season finale Sunday at Houston, has not finished below .500 since 1987, when he was 6-14 for the Cubs. Maddux (13-14) pitched a complete game, allowing five runs and eight hits.
Brewers 6, Reds 2
Milwaukee – Rick Helling (3-1) allowed three hits over six innings and Milwaukee (79-78) climbed above .500 for the first time in four months.
Nationals 11, Marlins 1
Miami – Seeking his 23rd victory, Dontrelle Willis (22-10) instead gave up a career-high nine runs – four unearned – as Florida mathematically was eliminated from the wild-card race.
D-backs 2, Dodgers 0
Los Angeles – Brandon Webb (14-11) allowed two hits over seven innings, and Chad Tracy hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
