Cubs 5, Expos 2\nMONTREAL -- Greg Maddux threw seven shutout innings for his 302nd career win and also drove in a run, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 5-2 win over the Montreal Expos Monday night.\nMaddux (13-8), who became the 22nd pitcher in major league history to reach 300 wins on Aug. 7, scattered five hits, struck out two and walked none.\nChicago, swept by Houston in three straight at home over the weekend, regained the NL wild-card lead, moving a half-game ahead of idle San Diego.\nTerrmel Sledge hit a two-run homer off Jon Leicester in the ninth for the Expos, who lost their third straight and fell to 3-5 on their season-high 13-game homestand.\nSammy Sosa hit a two-run double off Rocky Biddle (4-8) in the Cubs' four-run third after catching a break an inning earlier when plate umpire Ted Barrett called Montreal's Juan Rivera out on a close play at home.\nWith runners at second and third and one out, Rivera broke for home on catcher Brian Schneider's grounder. First baseman Derrek Lee's throw home appeared to beat Rivera, who slid outside past catcher Paul Bako and reached with his left hand to touch the plate as he slid by.\nMark Grudzielanek and Bako hit back-to-back singles in the third. Catcher Schneider's snap throw to shortstop Maicer Izturis caught Grudzielanek off the base for the first out.\nMaddux, 2-for-3, singled to right, and Rivera fielded it but his throw to third sailed into the Cubs' dugout for an error, allowing Bako to score while Maddux advanced to third.\nCorey Patterson's RBI grounder to second made it 2-0.\nChicago loaded the bases on a pair of walks and third baseman Tony Batista's fielding error on Nomar Garciaparra's grounder before Sosa doubled to left-center to increase the lead to 4-0.
Braves 7, Giants 6\nATLANTA -- Even with a big lead in the NL East, the Atlanta Braves aren't taking anything for granted.\nPlaying like a team fighting for a playoff spot, the Braves rallied for two runs in the ninth inning Monday to defeat the San Francisco Giants 7-6.\nJulio Franco tied the game with an RBI triple and Andruw Jones followed with a game-winning single off Giants closer Dustin Hermanson.\nBarry Bonds was not in the starting lineup a day after he hit two of the three longest home runs in Turner Field history. He pinch hit in the ninth and grounded out against Roman Colon (1-0) to end the inning.\nChipper Jones began the day with his wife for the birth of their third son, but he was in the dugout by the sixth inning. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.\nJ.D. Drew, who went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, started the ninth-inning rally with a single. Franco followed with another shot to right that rolled past Ricky Ledee for a game-tying triple.\nIt was a painful loss for the Giants, who began the day in a virtual tie with Chicago and San Diego in the NL wild-card race. They'll try to rebound when they play host to Colorado and Arizona in a six-game homestand that begins Tuesday night.\nMichael Tucker, who ended an 0-for-27 slump with a two-run single in the sixth inning, had four RBIs for the Giants.\nJ.T. Snow gave the Giants a 6-4 lead in the seventh with a bases-loaded double. Tucker also tried to score on the play, but was thrown out at the plate after a run-down to end the inning.
Astros 11, Reds 3\nCINCINNATI -- Brad Ausmus hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning and drove in a season-high four runs, leading the surging Houston Astros to an 11-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds Monday night.\nLance Berkman homered twice and drove in four runs for the Astros, who won for the seventh time in eight games. Houston is just four games behind Chicago, which leads the NL wild-card race.\nPete Munro (3-5) went five-plus innings to win for the first time in seven starts since July 25. He gave up three runs and eight hits, and struck out a season-high six.\nAdam Dunn hit his 40th homer for the Reds, and Felipe Lopez added a two-run shot.\nWith the game tied at 3, Jeff Kent reached on a leadoff infield, Mike Lamb grounded into fielder's choice, Jose Vizcaino singled and Ausmus homered to center on a 3-0 pitch from Phil Norton (1-5).\nIt was Ausmus' first homer in 59 at-bats since July 25.\nHouston broke it open with a four-run seventh, including Berkman's two-run double and Ausmus's run-scoring single. Berkman scored when Dunn failed to catch Kent's drive to the warning track in left for a two-base error.\nThe Astros scored an unearned run in the first when Craig Biggio scored from third on third baseman Ryan Freel's two-out fielding error on Kent's sharp grounder.
