NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cubs Defeat Rockies on Disputed Homer

Sammy Sosa again hurt Colorado with a home run and Frank Castillo pitched a five-hitter to beat the Rockies for the third time this season as the Chicago Cubs won, 2-0, Monday at Chicago.

The Rockies fell into second place behind the Dodgers, while the Cubs moved within a game of the lead in the league’s jumbled wild-card race.

Sosa has homered in each of Chicago’s last five games against the Rockies.

This time, Colorado Manager Don Baylor thought Sosa’s two-run first-inning shot--which went well over the left-field foul pole and landed outside Wrigley Field--was foul. But third base umpire Mark Hirschbeck called it fair and that was all the support Castillo (9-8) needed.

“The umpire made the call right away and that’s what he’s there for,” Sosa said. “He made the right call because it was a fair ball.”

Colorado left fielder Dante Bichette disagreed.

“I would say it was 10 to 15 feet foul,” said Bichette, who joined Baylor in arguing with Hirschbeck. “It was not even close.”

Said Mark Grace, who was on base and scored ahead of Sosa: “I think Dante plays for the Rockies, that’s what I think. It looked like a fair ball to me.”

Cincinnati 6, Houston 1--The Reds moved within two games of their first season sweep since the turn of the century, beating the Astros at Houston behind fourth-inning homers by Ron Gant and Benito Santiago.

The Reds are 11-0 against Houston, which has never been shut out in a season series, although the 1962 team lost 17 in a row to Philadelphia before winning the final meeting of the season.

Atlanta 6, St. Louis 5--Marquis Grissom singled with one out in the ninth inning to drive in the winning run as the Braves beat the Cardinals at Atlanta.

Atlanta starter John Smoltz allowed four runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six to increase his total for the season to 164, second in the NL behind the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo, who has 205.

Florida 7, Pittsburgh 3--Gary Sheffield’s third home run in four games since coming off the disabled list highlighted a six-run first inning as the Marlins beat the Pirates at Miami.

Sheffield, who was activated last Friday after 82 days on the disabled list because of a torn ligament in his right thumb, hit his ninth homer in his first at-bat in front of the home fans since June 10.

San Diego 2, New York 1--Scott Livingstone hit a bases-loaded single with one out in the 10th inning as the Padres beat the Mets at San Diego.

Trevor Hoffman (7-4) pitched a perfect 10th for the victory.