No. 48 for McGwire; Lieberthal Delivers Big One

Mark McGwire hit his 48th home run to move one ahead of Sammy Sosa for the major league lead, but it was Mike Lieberthal’s home run the meant the difference as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5, Wednesday night at St. Louis.

McGwire’s home run was his 505th and moved him past Eddie Murray into 15th place on the all-time list.

Lieberthal’s three-run shot in the eighth inning was his 25th homer of the season. Ron Gant and Scott Rolen singled before Lieberthal homered off Rick Croushore (3-3).

McGwire’s two-run shot came in first inning.

St. Louis starter Kent Bottenfield, who left after five innings with a 5-2 lead, missed a chance to tie 17-game winner Pedro Martinez for the major league lead in victories. Bottenfield remains 16-5.

Phillie Manager Terry Francona was ejected for arguing a double-play call to end the top of the sixth.

Arizona 3, Chicago 1--The Diamondbacks swept three games from the reeling Cubs for the second time in 10 days with the victory at Phoenix.

Andy Benes (8-11) gave up four hits, walked two and struck out three in eight innings, and Sammy Sosa went 0 for four and struck out twice.

The Cubs lost for the 10th time in 11 games amid increasing speculation that Manager Jim Riggleman will be fired.

Colorado 4, Atlanta 1--Larry Walker hit his second homer of the game, a three-run shot against John Rocker in the ninth inning, as the Rockies beat the Braves at Denver.

Walker, leading the league with a .360 average, hit the game-winner, his 32nd home run, just inside the right-field foul pole and raised his bat in triumph. He has four multihomer games this season.

New York 9, San Diego 1--Robin Ventura and Mike Piazza each hit homers and drove in three runs as the Mets won at San Diego.

Masato Yoshi (8-8) pitched a six-hitter and retired 16 hitters in a row at one point.

Houston 6, Milwaukee 4--Carl Everett’s two-run double highlighted a five-run rally in the eighth inning that lifted the Astros over the Brewers at Houston and put them in sole possession of the NL Central lead.

The Astros won their third consecutive game and the Brewers dropped their fourth in a row.

Pittsburgh 12, Cincinnati 6--Dale Sveum hit a three-run homer and a solo shot--his first homers in two years--and the Pirates had five in all as they won at Cincinnati.

The Pirates’ fourth five-homer game of the season had everything except a grand slam. Brian Giles hit a three-run homer, Ed Sprague had a solo shot and Al Martin a two-run homer.

San Francisco 5, Montreal 4--Barry Bonds and Charlie Hayes hit two-run homers, leading Russ Ortiz (14-8) and the Giants over the Expos at San Francisco.