Cubs’ Streak Doesn’t End Quietly

The end of the Chicago Cubs’ longest winning streak in 65 years didn’t come easy.

Rookie Ben Sheets gave up one run in 5 2/3 innings at Milwaukee and the Brewers survived Sammy Sosa’s near score-tying home run in the ninth and ended the Cubs’ 12-game win streak with a 4-2 victory Sunday.

“I thought it was a home run, to be honest with you,” Milwaukee Manager Davey Lopes said of Sosa’s drive to the right-field wall. “I should have known when Sammy didn’t go into that trot.”

Sosa’s dramatic at-bat against Curtis Leskanic included one foul tip on a 3-and-2 count, as a sellout crowd of 42,385 roared with every pitch.

“It was a great battle between Leskanic and Sammy,” Chicago first baseman Matt Stairs said. “I had a grin on my face every pitch of that at-bat.”

Sheets (6-4), who pitched a shutout against St. Louis in his previous start, gave up five hits, including Stairs’ solo home run in the sixth.

Jeromy Burnitz went three for four with a pair of run-scoring doubles for the Brewers, who ended the Cubs’ longest winning streak since a 15-game run June 1936.

Colorado 11, San Francisco 2--Pedro Astacio didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning, and Todd Helton went four for four with a home run and three RBIs for the Rockies at Denver.

Astacio (5-5) pitched a three-hitter for his 100th career victory. Jeff Kent’s lead off single in the seventh inning broke up the no-hit bid. Armando Rios added a two-run double in the inning.

Barry Bonds, who leads the majors with 29 homers, went 0 for 3 before being lifted for a pinch-runner in the seventh.

Atlanta 11-8, Pittsburgh 7-3--John Smoltz (2-2) gave up two runs in seven innings as the Braves swept a doubleheader at Pittsburgh and posted its first three-game win streak of the season.

Tom Glavine (6-3) gave up four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings in the opener.

Javy Lopez and Quilvio Veras each drove in two runs in a seven-run third inning that carried Atlanta to a victory in the opener.

Pirate reliever Jose Silva (3-3, 6.75 earned-run average) is expected to be sidelined 12 weeks after a line drive broke a bone in his left leg. In the seventh inning of the second game of a doubleheader, Andruw Jones lined the pitch off Silva’s leg.

The Braves had been one of three teams--with Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay--that hadn’t won three consecutive games this season.

Florida 1, New York 0--Preston Wilson’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth scored Luis Castillo for the Marlins at Miami.

Wilson’s groundball up the middle tipped off John Franco’s glove, but shortstop Joe McEwing had no play on the redirected hit.

Florida’s A.J. Burnett retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, then worked out of a sixth-inning jam. He had one out in the ninth before Desi Relaford singled and stole second base.

With two out, Burnett intentionally walked Robin Ventura before giving way to Antonio Alfonseca (3-2), who got Todd Zeile to ground out to end the threat.

St. Louis 4, Cincinnati 3--Mike Matheny hit his first home run in nearly two months and doubled in the seventh to start the rally for the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Mark McGwire made his fourth start since coming off the disabled list because of a knee injury and was 0 for 3 with a walk to drop his average to .114 (four for 35).

Mike Timlin (2-2), the fourth of seven St. Louis pitchers, pitched a perfect seventh. Dave Veres worked the ninth for his eighth save.

Montreal 10, Philadelphia 3--Vladimir Guerrero and Lee Stevens hit back-to-back home runs to cap a four-run sixth-inning to lead the Expos at Montreal.

Omar Daal (6-1) gave up five runs--four earned--and 10 hits in three innings to lose for the first time in 12 starts.