NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cardinals Win and Move Closer to Phillies

It appears that someone forgot to tell the St. Louis Cardinals that the race for the National League East title was over.

Brian Jordan hit a grand slam and drove in five runs Thursday at St. Louis as the Cardinals routed the Philadelphia Phillies, 14-5, and closed to within 5 1/2 games of the division leaders.

The Cardinals, who were 11 1/2 games out on June 14, won three of four games from the Phillies and have won 10 of their last 12. They set a season high for runs and outscored the Phillies, 36-22, during the series.

“I hope they feel like they’re in a race,” Cardinal starter Bob Tewksbury said. “Heck, yeah. If they don’t think we can chase them down, they’re doing us a favor.”

Curt Schilling (8-4) was roughed up by the Cardinals, yielding 11 hits and 11 runs--seven earned--in 2 2/3 innings. He has lost his last three starts, giving up 15 earned runs and 26 hits in 12 innings.

Tewksbury (9-6) pitched eight innings and gave up four runs and 10 hits to win his fifth consecutive decision. Tewksbury retired 14 batters in a row at one point and didn’t walk a batter. He has walked only six batters in 106 2/3 innings.

Gregg Jefferies went three for three and drove in two runs. He extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Jefferies is 26 for 59 (.441) during his streak.

Todd Zeile had a two-run double and Luis Alicea had a two-run triple during a five-run first inning. Jefferies had a run-scoring single and Jordan had a sacrifice fly in the second.

Atlanta 4, Colorado 0--Tom Glavine pitched a four-hitter and Sid Bream and Greg Olson hit home runs at Atlanta as the Braves completed a three-game sweep of the series.

It was Atlanta’s second sweep of the season, and its fifth win in six games. The Braves swept the Rockies in Denver in May.

Glavine (10-3) walked none in pitching his fourth complete game of the season.

Florida 7, New York 5--Charlie Hough outpitched Dwight Gooden at Miami to help prevent the Marlins from being swept in a home series for the first time.

The 45-year-old Hough (4-8) pitched seven innings and yielded six hits, including solo home runs by Gooden and rookie Jeromy Burnitz. The victory was only the second for Hough since the first week of the season.

Gooden (7-8) lost his fourth consecutive start. He retired 14 in a row before the Marlins scored three runs in the eighth. Gooden went the distance, giving up 11 hits and striking out a season-high nine.

Houston 8, Cincinnati 1--The Astros scored four runs in the eighth inning at Cincinnati to help Pete Harnisch end his three-game losing streak.

Harnisch (7-5) pitched eight innings and gave up six hits to win for the first time since June 4. Harnisch got Kevin Mitchell, the Reds’ hottest hitter, to fly out with the bases loaded in the fifth, ending Cincinnati’s biggest threat.

Mitchell went hitless in four at-bats, ending his hitting streak at 20 games, second-longest in the league this season.

Montreal 7, Pittsburgh 5--Rookie Tim Laker’s three-run double capped a six-run third inning at Montreal.

Mel Rojas (4-6) pitched three scoreless innings in relief of starter Kent Bottenfield and struck out five. He gave up only two hits and walked none.

John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his 17th save.