HOUSTON — Pinch-hitter Pedro Feliz and Ray Durham hit consecutive homers off Billy Wagner in the ninth inning Monday night, sending the San Francisco Giants to a 6-3 victory over the Houston Astros.
Houston lost its third in a row and dropped into a tie for the NL Central lead with the Chicago Cubs, who did not play. The Cubs hold a share of first place for the first time since Sept. 10.
The NL West champion Giants boosted their record at Minute Maid Park to 12-1 and moved within one game of Atlanta for the best record in the league
Marquis Grissom and Andres Galarraga also homered for the Giants, giving them a 2-0 lead. Barry Bonds went 0-for-4, ending his streak of reaching base in 58 straight games.
MARLINS 6, BRAVES 3: At Atlanta, Derrek Lee homered and had four RBIs as Florida beat the Atlanta Monday night to extend their NL wild-card lead. The Marlins moved one game ahead of Philadelphia and host the Phillies for three games beginning Tuesday night, a series that could determine if Florida makes the playoffs for the first time since winning the World Series in 1997. Florida also leads Chicago by two games. Los Angeles, which played later Monday at San Diego, was three games back.
PADRES 9, DODGERS 5: At San Diego, Phil Nevin hit a three-run homer and San Diego opened its final homestand at Qualcomm Stadium by beating rival Los Angeles Monday night, dealing the Dodgers' wild-card hopes a serious blow. The Dodgers fell 3 1/2 games behind Florida in the wild-card race, with seven games left. Los Angeles starter Odalis Perez left after one inning, apparently with a finger injury.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
DEVIL RAYS 5, BLUE JAYS 2: At Toronto, Roy Halladay lost a chance at his 22nd win when he was ejected Monday night, and Rob Bell held Toronto hitless for six innings in Tampa Bay's 5-2 victory. Julio Lugo homered off Halladay for the Devil Rays, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Chad Gaudin, Joe Kennedy and Lance Carter followed Bell and finished the four-hitter.
RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 5: At Boston, Manny Ramirez, Trot Nixon and David Ortiz homered to lead the Red Sox over Baltimore and protect Boston's lead in the AL wild-card race. Jeff Suppan (3-3) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. He was acquired from Pittsburgh at the trading deadline for the stretch run and probably is competing with John Burkett for the fourth and final spot in Boston's playoff rotation. Baltimore trailed 6-3 before scoring two runs in the eighth on four consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly. But Mike Timlin got Tim Raines Jr. to bounce a ball back to the mound for the third out.
ROYALS 12, TIGERS 6: At Kansas City, Detroit set an American League record with its 118th loss, falling to the Royals Monday night as Raul Ibanez and Rondell White drove in three runs each. Detroit (38-118) has lost 10 straight, one short of its season high, and 16 of its last 17. The Tigers must win five of their final six games to avoid tying the post-1900 major league record set by the 1962 New York Mets, who went 40-120. White went 4-for-4, Carlos Beltran homered, and Joe Randa went 3-for-3 for the Royals, who trail AL Central-leading Minnesota by five games with six to play.
WHITE SOX 6, YANKEES 3, 10 innings: At Chicago, Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning as Chicago beat New York and prevented the Yankees from clinching the AL East. Ordonez's 29th homer came off Jeff Weaver as the White Sox kept their faint hopes alive in the AL Central.
MARINERS 5, ANGELS 1: At Anaheim, Jamie Moyer became the fifth pitcher with a 20-win season in his 40s, and Randy Winn hit an inside-the-park homer as Seattle beat Anaheim. Bret Boone homered and had three hits, helping the Mariners remain 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL wild-card race.
ATHLETICS 7, RANGERS 3: At Oakland, Eric Chavez homered, doubled and drove in two runs and Barry Zito won his third straight start as Oakland defeated Texas for the fifth time in a row. Miguel Tejada had two hits and three RBIs and Jermaine Dye also homered as the first-place A's lowered their magic number to win their second straight AL West title to two.