Cubs Batter Padres, 5-1, as Losing Streak Hits 8

Sammy Sosa hit his National League-leading 22nd home run and Steve Trachsel continued his mastery at Wrigley Field on Friday as the Cubs sent the Padres to their eighth consecutive defeat, 5-1.

Sosa’s fifth-inning solo homer to left-center field against Padre starter Bob Tewksbury gave the Cubs a 5-1 lead and put Sosa ahead of Montreal’s Henry Rodriguez (21) and Atlanta’s Ryan Klesko (21) in the home run derby.

Trachsel (5-4) gave up one run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings in lowering his home earned-run average to 1.85 and overall ERA to 2.27. He struck out four in improving to 5-3 in nine starts at home.

Chicago has won six of seven games. San Diego has lost 11 of 12 and has lost six games off its lead in the NL West since June 1.

Houston 9, San Francisco 1--Jeff Bagwell hit four doubles, tying a major league record as the Astros beat the Giants at San Francisco.

Bagwell became the 37th player to double four times in a game, and the first in Houston history. The last NL player to do it was Billy Hatcher for Cincinnati on Aug. 21, 1990.

Bagwell matched the mark with a run-scoring double during a three-run ninth inning. Craig Biggio, who homered, and Brian Hunter each drove in three runs as the Astros stopped a three-game losing streak.

St. Louis 13, New York 4--Ron Gant, sidelined since May 11 because of a strained right hamstring, homered in his first at-bat and doubled to lead the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Gary Gaetti hit two home runs, including his seventh grand slam, and also doubled.

Montreal 6, Cincinnati 1--Pedro Martinez pitched a four-hitter and Shane Andrews had three hits, including a homer, as the Expos pulled away at Cincinnati.

Rain delayed the start of the game by 1:38, and Martinez (6-3) struck out a career-high 11 in his second complete game of the season.

Pittsburgh 5, Florida 4--Jeff King swung weakly at two pitches from Robb Nen, then hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to rally the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

The Pirates’ bullpen pitched eight scoreless innings after rookie starter Matt Ruebel gave up four runs in one-plus innings. Ramon Morel pitched four scoreless innings and Dan Plesac (1-1) finished up in the ninth.

Colorado 10, Philadelphia 6--Ellis Burks hit the first inside-the-park homer in the two-year history of Coors Field to lead the Rockies in Denver.

The Rockies won their fourth game in a row to draw within 1 1/2 games of San Diego. Colorado broke a 6-6 tie in the sixth with four runs.