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SAN FRANCISCO - Rich Aurilia and Yorvit Torrealba drove in two each during a sixth-inning rally and the Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 Monday night for their fifth straight win.
The West-leading Giants moved eight games ahead of the Diamondbacks by taking the opener of this important four-game series. San Francisco has won 10 of 13 and is undefeated on this 11-game homestand to start the second half.
The Diamondbacks couldn't hold a three-run lead on the way to their third straight defeat.
With the Giants trailing 4-1 in the sixth, Elmer Dessens provided an opportunity for San Francisco when he loaded the bases with one out. He allowed a single to J.T. Snow and a double to Marquis Grissom before intentionally walking Barry Bonds.
Jose Cruz struck out on a full count, then Aurilia hit a two-run single to center off Dessens and Torrealba singled two batters later to bring in two more as the Giants took a 5-4 lead. The Giants batted around in the inning.
Torrealba, starting at catcher in place of injured regular Benito Santiago, also drove in his team's first run in the fifth on a groundout.
Aurilia is a career .375 hitter (6-for-16) against Dessens. San Francisco's shortstop is batting .555 (10-for-18) in five games since the All-Star break after hitting .256 in the first half.
Chad Zerbe got the final out in the sixth for the win. San Francisco rookie Jerome Williams failed to win for the first time in six starts but still has a five-start winning streak.
CUBS 15, BRAVES 6: Sammy Sosa homered and drove in four, Moises Alou had four hits and five RBIs and visiting Chicago again broke loose.
Tom Goodwin matched a career high with five hits and scored four and Alex Gonzalez homered and drove in three. The Cubs had a season-high 21 hits.
Sunday the Cubs had 20 hits in a 16-2 romp over the Marlins. Sosa and Gonzalez homered in that win, which came after Chicago scored three in three games.
Yet it was reliever Dave Veres who gave the Cubs a chance.
Veres took over for starter Shawn Estes in the fourth with the bases loaded and none out and got out of the jam, keeping the Cubs within 5-4. He struck out Marcus Giles, got Gary Sheffield on a popup and retired Chipper Jones on a bouncer to first.
PIRATES 5, ASTROS 3: Matt Stairs homered and drove in two as host Pittsburgh jumped on Houston starter Tim Redding for five runs in the first three innings.
The Pirates, the only team to beat the Astros in their past 15 games, ended Houston's five-game winning streak. Pittsburgh has won four straight at home against the Astros since July 4.
The Astros had won 10 of 11, matching Atlanta for the league's best pace over that span, but are 1-5 against the Pirates over those 15 games.
MARLINS 4, EXPOS 1: Mike Lowell drove in two in his return from a tumor scare and Josh Beckett pitched seven scoreless innings for host Florida.
In his first at-bat, Lowell singled home Juan Pierre. He drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth and doubled in the eighth.
Montreal All-Star rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero, who missed 39 games with a herniated disc, returned to the lineup and had two singles.
ROCKIES 4, DODGERS 1: Denny Stark got his first victory of an injury-plagued season and Bobby Estalella homered as visiting Colorado ended a five-game losing streak.
Stark allowed a run and four hits in seven innings in his fourth start of the season. He missed the Rockies' first 84 games with a strained muscle in his upper back.
REDS 11, BREWERS 2: Jose Acevedo pitched seven shutout innings as a fill-in starter and Russell Branyan had a pinch-hit grand slam as Cincinnati ended a seven-game home losing streak.
PADRES 5, CARDINALS 4 (10): Miguel Ojeda homered with one out in the 10th to lift host San Diego to its third straight win. The Padres tied it at 4 in the eighth on Sean Burroughs' one-out sacrifice fly, set up by Mark Loretta's leadoff triple.
METS 8, PHILLIES 6: Aaron Heilman earned his first major-league victory and John Franco picked up his first save since 2001 for visiting New York.