Cubs End Padres’ Lock on NL West

Frank Castillo knew his job was on the line Sunday.

“Sometimes you think, how many more opportunities are you going to get to go out there?” Castillo said. “I knew I had to get my act together.”

Castillo (2-9) stopped his seven-game losing streak, winning for only the second time in 15 starts as the Chicago Cubs defeated the San Diego Padres, 8-4, at Chicago.

The Padres lost for the 12th time in 14 games and fell into a tie with the Dodgers for the NL West lead. San Diego, which held a 6 1/2-game lead on June 1, had been alone in first place for 74 consecutive days.

Florida 4, Pittsburgh 2--Kevin Brown held the Pirates to one earned run in seven innings, and Devon White’s upper-deck homer broke a tie as the Marlins defeated the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

White’s leadoff homer in the seventh ricocheted off the fifth-level facade in left field--the 13th upper-deck homer in Three Rivers Stadium’s 26-year history and the second this season.

Jeff Conine followed White’s sixth homer with a single and scored when left fielder Al Martin misplayed Gary Sheffield’s single.

Brown (5-5) won his third in four decisions, lowering his major league-leading earned-run average to 2.07.

Cincinnati 7, Montreal 0--Roger Salkeld (3-1) pitched a four-hitter for his first career shutout and Reggie Sanders had three hits as the Reds ended their six-game losing streak at Cincinnati.

The Reds scored three runs in the first inning off Rheal Cormier (3-4).

St. Louis 5, New York 4--Pinch-hitter Brian Jordan hit a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Cardinals won at St. Louis.

St. Louis had runners on first and third when Luis Alicea walked on a full count to load the bases against John Franco. Jordan hit the first pitch off the left-field wall to score Willie McGee and pinch-runner Royce Clayton.

Mark Petkovsek (5-0) won despite giving up the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth.

Colorado 11, Philadelphia 3--Kevin Ritz shut down the Phillies for seven innings and the Rockies extended their winning streak to six with the victory at Denver.

Ritz (8-4) won his fifth consecutive decision and also had a run-scoring double to cap a three-run fourth inning that helped the Rockies roll to their ninth victory in 11 games.

Jeff Reed and Vinny Castilla extended Colorado’s home run streak to 11 games as they each connected against Philadelphia starter Bobby Munoz (0-2).

San Francisco 8, Houston 7--Left fielder Barry Bonds robbed Rick Wilkins of a home run in the top of the ninth and pinch-hitter Mark Carreon singled home the winning run in the bottom half at San Francisco.

Robby Thompson hit a one-out double off Alvin Morman (1-1) in the bottom of the ninth. Todd Jones relieved and Carreon, batting for Kirt Manwaring, singled to right scoring Thompson.