Sosa Helps Cubs Sweep

National League

Sammy Sosa ended the Chicago Cubs’ three-game sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers the same way he started it - with a home run.

Sosa’s solo shot to center field with two out in the 13th inning gave the N.L. Central leaders a 2-1 triumph in Los Angeles over the slumping Dodgers and made the Cubs the first majorleague franchise to reach 9,000 victories.

Phillies 5, Mets 3

Philadelphia

Rookie Michael Mimbs pitched six strong innings and Charlie Hayes had two RBIs as Philadelphia improved the best record in the majors to 17-6.

Mimbs (2-1), who lasted only 2 2/3 innings and walked five in his previous start, allowed six hits while striking out a career-high seven and walking none.

Rockies 5, Reds 2

Cincinnati

Vinny Castilla, Mike Kingery and John Vander Wal hit solo homers as Colorado beat Cincinnati for only its second victory at Riverfront Stadium.

Castilla led off the seventh with his fifth homer to make it 3-1, and Kingery and Vander Wal each hit homers in the ninth off Pete Smith to help Colorado end its three-game losing streak.

Cardinals 9, Giants 7

San Francisco

Tripp Cromer hit his second homer in two days to spark a three-run fifth as St. Louis defeated San Francisco.

Cromer, a rookie who had never homered before Saturday, broke a 3-3 tie by leading off the fifth with a homer down the leftfield line.

Astros 5, Expos 2

Houston

Craig Biggio continued his hot hitting with a tworun homer and Greg Swindell got his first career victory over Montreal, leading Houston to a three-game sweep of its series with the Expos.

Biggio has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games with a .400 average over that span.

Braves 5, Marlins 1

Atlanta

John Smoltz and Mark Wohlers combined on a two-hitter and David Justice and Chipper Jones each drove in two runs as Atlanta completed a three-game sweep of Florida.

It was the fourth victory in a row for the Braves, who have beaten the Marlins eight in a row.

Pirates 6, Padres 1

San Diego

Denny Neagle threw a five-hitter for his third straight win as Pittsburgh beat San Diego for its fifth victory in six games.

Former Padres catcher Mark Parent hit his fifth homer of the season and his second in the threegame series and Orlando Merced was 4 for 4 and Jeff King went 3 for 3 with two RBIs.

Mitchell heads home?

Kevin Mitchell is apparently headed back to the U.S., and there have been reports that his attitude has been a contributing factor to his demise in leaving Japan.

“That’s not a factor in this matter,” said his agent, Joe Sroba. “The guy is hurt.”

Mitchell, Sroba said, has two tears in his knee cartilage.

Expos fear the worst

Montreal isn’t counting on Cliff Floyd’s return anytime in the near future.

And some people within the Expos organization think the injury, which last week damaged ligaments in Floyd’s wrist, will end the big first baseman’s career.

Clearing the bases

Philadelphia hasn’t lost two games in a row this season. The last time the Phillies went deeper into the season without losing two straight was 1911 when the streak lasted 30 games. … Florida outfielder Jeff Conine missed the Marlins’ starting lineup for the second consecutive game because of a strained left hamstring. He did appear as a pinch hitter to extend his streak of consecutive games played to 301.