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Cards surge closer to title

DENVER -- Tino Martinez hit a grand slam, capping a seven-run outburst in the eighth inning that carried the St. Louis Cardinals to an 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

Coupled with Houston's 5-4 loss to Milwaukee, the Cardinals reduced their magic number for clinching the Central to five. St. Louis leads the Astros by 71/2 games.

Pinch-hitter So Taguchi broke a tie at 4 with a run-scoring single in the eighth, triggering the Cardinals' rally. Albert Pujols added a two-run single before Martinez's 10th career grand slam.

Jeff Fassero got three outs to earn the win.

Edgar Renteria led off the eighth with a single against Kent Mercker. Mike Matheny popped up a bunt that Mercker caught, but the pitcher threw wildly to first trying to double up the runner.

Renteria, on second as a result of the error, scored on Taguchi's single to center. Taguchi, recalled from Double-A New Haven on Sept. 7, got caught in a rundown between first and second.

Miguel Cairo and Eli Marrero followed with singles and Jim Edmonds walked to load the bases. Pujols then singled and after a walk to Scott Rolen, Martinez hit his 19th homer off Sean Lowe.

Martinez has hit at least one grand slam in eight consecutive seasons. San Francisco's Willie McCovey holds the major-league record with nine.

St. Louis' Chuck Finley pitched six strong innings and departed with a 4-2 lead, but the bullpen couldn't hold it.

BREWERS 5, ASTROS 4: Ben Sheets beat Houston for the third time this season, and host Milwaukee damaged the Astros' faint postseason hopes.

Sheets has won four straight decisions against the Astros, allowing six hits in eight innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. Daryle Ward homered in the fourth and Craig Biggio had a two-run homer in the eighth.

Luis Vizcaino got three outs for his fifth save in six chances, allowing a run-scoring grounder to Brad Ausmus. With runners on first and third and two outs, pinch-hitter Mark Loretta struck out.

BRAVES 2, PHILLIES 1: Greg Maddux rebounded from one of the worst starts of his career, pitching four-hit ball over seven innings for host Atlanta.

Maddux, pitching on three days' rest, moved within one victory of joining Cy Young as the only pitchers to win 15 or more in 15 straight seasons. Maddux is scheduled to make two more starts.

In his previous game, Maddux gave up seven runs and seven hits in two innings against the Marlins, including a career-high six runs in the first. He threw 41 pitches in that game, enabling him to move up in the rotation.

PADRES 3, D'BACKS 2: Adam Eaton combined with three relievers on a four-hitter in his best start since elbow surgery, leading host San Diego.

Eaton, inconsistent in his first three starts, prevented the defending World Series champions from moving closer to their second straight West title. The Diamondbacks' magic number to clinch their third title in four seasons remained at six.

After ligament replacement surgery in August 2001, Eaton made his first major-league start in more than a year Sept. 1. He had lasted five innings or fewer in his three previous starts.

EXPOS 8, MARLINS 5 (14): Jamey Carroll hit a tiebreaking single and Jose Vidro followed with a three-run homer in the 14th as visiting Montreal moved into second place in the East.

Montreal tied it at 4 with two runs in the eighth. Vladimir Guerrero doubled, Matt Cepicky hit a run-scoring single and Brian Schneider doubled off A.J. Burnett.

PIRATES 11, REDS 3: Pokey Reese had a career-high five RBIs for host Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati made five errors, its most in 12 years. The Reds, who gave up nine unearned runs, were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.

METS 3, CUBS 1: Jeromy Burnitz hit a two-run homer in the ninth to lift host New York. Sammy Sosa hit his 497th career homer and 47th of the season for Chicago in a matchup of two of baseball's most disappointing teams.

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