Streaking Cardinals Gain on Cubs

Another big hit from Jim Edmonds, who is once again living up to his star status, helped the St. Louis Cardinals creep a little bit closer in the National League Central.

Edmonds had a three-run home run for the second consecutive game Thursday night as the Cardinals ran their winning streak to eight games with an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis.

“We’re not going to get caught up in what we’re doing,” Edmonds said. “We don’t want to fall on our face. We just want to do what we’ve been doing.”

Edmonds’ homer to left-center against Jose Acevedo (3-4) in the sixth was his 18th and gave the Cardinals a 4-2 lead. Craig Paquette also homered and Albert Pujols extended his hitting streak to 17 games as the Cardinals, who hovered around the .500 mark most of the season, pulled 3 1/2 games behind the idle Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

“We’re a different club,” Manager Tony La Russa said. “I keep saying it, but it’s the truth.”

The Cardinals swept the Reds at St. Louis for the first time since June 5-8, 1962, at old Busch Stadium, outscoring them, 26-10, and moved 10 games above .500 for the first time this season (65-55). The Reds have lost five in a row and nine of 12.

Edmonds, who has been bothered by a sore shoulder most of the season but had four runs batted in Wednesday night in an 8-4 victory, was robbed of extra bases by a catch at the left-field wall by Brady Clark in the first and a liner to right in the fourth. The former Angel is 10 for 23 in his last six games.

Atlanta 4, Colorado 1--Kevin Millwood took a shutout into the eighth inning and Marcus Giles and Javy Lopez each hit solo homers to lead the Braves at Denver.

The Braves took two of three games from the Rockies to move within one game of the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.

Millwood (3-5), making his sixth start since coming off the disabled list July 20, gave up 10 hits, all singles, in 7 1/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.

Houston 4, Pittsburgh 3--Moises Alou broke out of his longest hitless streak of the season with a pair of run-scoring singles to lead the Astros at Houston.

Wade Miller (13-6), who missed his previous turn in the rotation because of an injured pinky, gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings and struck out six.

San Diego 6, New York 5--Mike Darr hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot with two outs in the eighth that lifted the Padres at San Diego.

Darr, in his 253rd at-bat of the season, hit a 3-and-2 pitch from reliever Rick White (3-4) into the right-field seats to send the Mets to their sixth consecutive loss--tying their season high.

Jeremy Fikac (1-0) got the victory in his major league debut, striking out the side in the eighth.

Milwaukee 5, Philadelphia 4--Jeromy Burnitz hit a home run and Lou Collier had a two-run triple at Milwaukee to help the Brewers end the Phillies’ five-game winning streak.

Trailing, 2-0, the Brewers scored four runs in the second inning against Nelson Figueroa (4-3). With one out, Mark Sweeney walked and scored on a double by Jose Hernandez. The throw to the plate arrived ahead of Sweeney, whose slide dislodged the ball from the grasp of catcher Johnny Estrada.