Smoltz Wins 22nd By Beating Astros
National League
John Smoltz became the majors’ first 22-game winner this season, and Ryan Klesko hit a three-run double as Atlanta beat Houston 5-4 Tuesday night at Atlanta.
It was the third consecutive victory for the Braves after losing six in a row. Atlanta lowered its magic number to seven for clinching its fifth straight postseason berth.
The Astros, who fell to 0-8 on the road this month, lost their fourth in a row and seventh in nine games. They began the night 2-1/2 games behind first-place St. Louis in the N.L. Central.
Smoltz (22-8) allowed eight hits and three runs in eight innings. He struck out seven, lifting his N.L.-leading strikeout total to 262 and tying the modern club record set by Phil Niekro in 1977.
Houston made it 5-4 in the ninth on Brian Hunter’s RBI single, but Mark Wohlers pitched out of a jam for his 36th save.
Pirates 5, Reds 3
Pittsburgh
In Jim Leyland’s first game as their lame-duck manager, the Pirates beat Cincinnati behind the hitting of John Wehner.
Wehner went 3 for 3 and scored three runs as Pittsburgh won its sixth consecutive game.
Cardinals 5, Cubs 3
St. Louis
Brian Jordan’s two-run homer capped an eighth-inning rally that helped St. Louis move a step closer to the N.L. Central title.
The Cardinals moved 3-1/2 games ahead of second-place Houston.
After Ryne Sandberg’s two-run homer put Chicago ahead 3-1 in the top of the eighth, the Cardinals rallied for four runs in the bottom half.
Giants 9, Padres 7
San Francisco
Barry Bonds broke a tie with a two-run homer in the eighth inning as San Francisco came back from a six-run deficit to cut San Diego’s lead in the wild-card race to one game.
Marlins 11, Phillies 5
Philadelphia
Greg Colbrunn homered and drove in three runs and Pat Rapp (7-16) won for the first time in over a month as Florida beat Philadelphia.
Expos 7, Mets 1
Montreal
Moises Alou went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Jeff Fassero reached the 15-win mark for the first time as Montreal beat New York and kept pressure on San Diego in the wild-card race.
Henry Rodriguez drove in two runs, giving him 99 RBIs for the season as the Expos won for the fifth time in six games.
Clearing the bases
Florida’s Gary Sheffield has 145 walks, three short of the N.L. record shared by Eddie Stanky and Jimmy Wynn… . The Phillies tied the record for most players used in a season (54) when Glenn Dishman and Bobby Estalella made their debuts… . San Diego’s Ken Caminiti, who hit two home runs, drove in four runs for a club-record 122 RBIs… . Cincinnati’s Hal Morris had a bunt single to extend his hitting streak to 18 games.