Dodgers Defeat Rockies For Lead

National League

Eric Karros homered and scored three times and Tim Wallach hit two sacrifice flies as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 7-4 Wednesday night to reclaim a half-game lead in the N.L. West.

The Dodgers rebounded from a 7-3 loss to Colorado on Tuesday to win the series 2-1 and the season set 9-4.

Los Angeles opens a season-ending three-game series at San Diego on Friday, while the Rockies go home to play their final four games against San Francisco, starting tonight.

Houston lost 6-3 to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, giving the Rockies a one-game lead over the Astros in the wild card race.

Kevin Tapani (4-2), who had one decision in his previous five appearances, gave up seven hits and three runs, while striking out two and walking one in six innings. Todd Worrell pitched two innings for his 32nd save in 36 chances.

Karros snapped a 3-3 tie in the third when he scored on a groundout by Raul Mondesi. Karros walked and took third on a double by DeShields over the head of Larry Walker in right.

Walt Weiss saved two runs for Colorado with a diving stop of a hard grounder up the middle by Wallach.

Karros led off the fifth with a double down the left-field line, scoring on Wallach’s sacrifice fly for a 5-3 lead.

Los Angeles added a run in the seventh when Karros hit a solo homer off Roger Bailey.

Pirates 6, Astros 3 (11)

Houston

Houston reliever Todd Jones hurt the Astros’ chances of winning the wild card by walking the bases loaded in the 11th.

Mike Henneman was almost as much to blame, giving up a two-run single to Rich Aude that led Pittsburgh to victory.

Pittsburgh scored three runs in the seventh, the Pirates’ first runs in 19 innings, before Houston tied it in the bottom half.

Padres 4, Giants 2

San Francisco

Fernando Valenzuela allowed one run and four hits in 6-1/3 innings, and singled in a run as San Diego completed a three-game sweep of San Francisco.

Marlins 9, Expos 3

Miami

Jeff Conine became the first Florida player to reach 100 RBIs in a season when he drove in four runs to lead the Marlins over Montreal.

Braves 6, Phillies 0

Philadelphia

Greg Maddux won his major league-leading 19th game, allowing three hits in six innings as Atlanta beat Philadelphia.

Mets 5-9, Reds 4-2

New York

Bill Spiers, who entered the game hitting .176, singled three times and drove in three runs as New York completed a doubleheader sweep of Cincinnati.

In the opener, Robert Person allowed three hits and one run in seven innings for New York.

Cubs 5, Cardinals 3

Chicago

Kevin Foster struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as Chicago remained alive in the wild card race by beating St. Louis.

The Cubs’ sixth straight victory guaranteed that they’ll go into their final four-game series against Houston with a slim chance for a playoff spot.

Clearing the bases

The Pirates reached a tentative deal with prospective owner Kevin McClatchy, then asked Major League Baseball to review the proposal before signing a definitive agreement. … Mets manager Dallas Green signed a one-year contract extension. … The Rockies survived a scare in the eighth when Andres Galarraga got hit in the helmet by a fastball from Antonio Osuna. Galarraga fell and lay on the ground briefly before walking off.