It's been a great month for Lee Smith and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Smith saved his 15th game of June, setting a major league record for most saves in one month, as St. Louis moved closer to first-place Philadelphia with a 3-1 victory Monday night.Smith has saved each of the Cardinals' last nine victories and leads the major leagues with 29.
"We've got a long way to go," Smith said. "If we win one more of the next three we're OK. If you're 10 or 12 back at the halfway point, that would be real tough to come back from. I want to be in there for these games."
The Cardinals, 19-6 in June, moved within 61/2 games of the Phillies. The teams have three games left this week at Busch Stadium.
"We came in here pumped up, I don't have to tell them what the series means," manager Joe Torre said. "We just came off an 8-2 road trip and now you're playing the club that's right in front of you."
Starter Rheal Cormier (5-4) allowed one run on five hits in 6 1-3 innings for the victory. He also drove in a run with a single.
Phillies starter Danny Jackson (7-4) allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Elsewhere in the NL it was Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 0; Pittsburgh 9. Montreal 5 in 10 innings; and Chicago 4, San Diego 3 in 11 innings.
Dodgers 4, Giants 0
Dave Hansen's pinch-hit grand slam, his first homer of the season, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth off Mike Jackson (4-2) lifted Los Angeles over San Francisco at Dodger Stadium.
Mike Piazza walked to open the ninth and Eric Karros followed with a single. Cory Snyder's sacrifice moved the runners up before Eric Davis was intentionally walked to load the bases. After pinch-hitter Lenny Harris lined out to shortstop, Hansen homered just inside the foul pole in right field.
Pedro Martinez (4-2) worked one inning for the victory.
Pirates 9, Expos 5 (10 inning)
Lonnie Smith's bases-loaded walk sparked Pittsburgh's four-run 10th inning as the Pirates beat Montreal at Olympic Stadium. The win was the Pirates' ninth in their last 11 games after losing seven straight.
Pittsburgh tied the score with two outs in the ninth on Orlando Merced's RBI single off reliever John Wetteland.
Winner Tim Wakefield (4-7) pitched two scorless innings and Stan Belinda got the final three outs. Tim Scott (2-1) was the loser.
Cubs 4, Padres 3
Candy Maldonado's run-scoring single in the 11th off Roger Mason (0-7) lifted Chicago past San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium. It was the Padres' second straight 11-inning loss, and their 12th loss in their last 16 games.
Paul Assenmacher (2-1) worked the 10th for the win and former Padre Randy Myers pitched a scoreless 11th for his 23rd save.