Two Sosa Homers Pace Cubs

Sammy Sosa reached another milestone. All that mattered to him was a victory.

Sosa homered twice to become the eighth player with at least 50 career multihomer games as the Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros, 5-4, Saturday in Houston.

“I contributed, that’s all I’m out there to do is help,” Sosa said. “It’s about the little things, a great catch, a double play over there, that’s how it’s done.”

Chicago ended a seven-game losing streak against the Astros, beating them for the first time since Aug. 23 at Enron Field. The Cubs boosted their National League Central lead to three games over Houston.

Sosa drove a 90-mph fastball from Dave Mlicki over the left-field fence in the first inning for his 32nd homer.

Sosa added No. 33 to lead off the third inning, hitting Mlicki’s slider over the left-field fence for a 2-1 lead. It was Sosa’s sixth multihomer game of the season.

“I tried to keep it down, I really just made two mistakes to Sammy,” Mlicki said. “One was only 315 [feet], but they’re the same as the 450-footers. Other than that, I did all right.”

Michael Tucker, obtained Friday in a trade with Cincinnati, went two for five in his Cub debut. He doubled and singled.

Atlanta 2, Montreal 1--Mark DeRosa hit his first major league home run leading off the 10th inning, giving the Braves a victory at Atlanta.

DeRosa hit a 1-0 fastball from Graeme Lloyd (7-3) over the center-field fence to end Montreal’s four-game winning streak, its longest of the season.

DeRosa was called up from triple-A Richmond on June 1 to replace shortstop Rafael Furcal, who was lost for the season because of a separated shoulder. DeRosa hit two homers at Richmond in 49 games.

Jose Cabrera (6-2), Atlanta’s sixth pitcher, got the win with a perfect 10th.

Orlando Cabrera’s double gave the Expos a 1-0 lead in the second and the Braves tied it on Brian Jordan’s home run in the seventh.

New York 6, Philadelphia 3--Mike Piazza drove in two runs in support of another strong outing from Steve Trachsel for the Mets at Philadelphia.

Philadelphia has lost five of six to fall two games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East.

Piazza, ejected in the second inning of Friday night’s 10-1 loss, put New York ahead to stay with a two-run double in the third.

St. Louis 9, Pittsburgh 2--Craig Paquette had four runs batted in and a home run-robbing catch at St. Louis as the Cardinals won for the 12th time in their last 13 games with the Pirates.

Paquette hit a two-run home run in the fifth to tie it, 2-2, and hit a two-run double in a seven-run sixth.

Cincinnati 8, Florida 4--Sean Casey had three hits and three RBIs at Miami as the Reds ended a four-game losing streak.

Ken Griffey Jr. had a single, double and triple, and had a chance to hit for the cycle, but struck out with two on to end the Reds’ five-run eighth inning.

San Diego 5, Milwaukee 3--Bubba Trammell homered and Mark Kotsay hit a two-run double as the Padres won at home, handing the Brewers their eighth consecutive loss.