It’s a Night to Remember for Sanders

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ 10-run fifth inning lasted so long, Reggie Sanders thought he homered in two different innings instead of the same one.

“I think it was Matt Stairs who said, ‘You know, you hit two home runs in one inning,’ ” Sanders said after the Pirates’ 14-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday night at St. Louis.

“I said, ‘No, I didn’t. That was another inning.’ I didn’t even realize it at all.”

Sanders became the first player to homer twice in an inning this season. The second homer was a grand slam that capped the fifth, as the Pirates hit a team record-tying seven home runs.

The Pirates were victimized by the Cardinals’ 10-run eighth inning in a 13-5 loss on Tuesday. They made sure this game was out of reach in the fifth, which ended with Pittsburgh leading, 13-0.

Jeff D’Amico (8-12) pitched a three-hitter for his fifth career complete game, his second this season. He won for the second time in six decisions. A career .103 hitter entering the game, he also hit his second career homer in 137 at-bats for the Pirates’ first run in the third.

Cincinnati 2, Arizona 0 -- Aaron Harang outpitched Randy Johnson, and Ryan Freel, recalled from triple-A Louisville earlier in the day, hit his first major league home run as the Reds ended a nine-game losing streak at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix.

The loss kept the Diamondbacks from making up ground on Philadelphia in the wild-card race. They remained 3 1/2 games behind the Phillies by losing for the fifth time in seven games.

Harang (3-0) remained perfect as a starter for the Reds, who acquired him and two other pitchers from Oakland for outfielder Jose Guillen on July 30. He held the Diamondbacks to four hits in seven innings.

Johnson (3-6) lasted six innings, giving up two runs and six hits. He fell to 2-4 in seven starts since spending 12 weeks on the disabled list after right-knee surgery.

Chicago 6, Houston 0 -- Mark Prior, roughed up earlier this season at Minute Maid Park, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the Cubs moved within a half-game of the Astros in the Central Division.

Prior (12-5) yielded four hits and struck out nine in seven shutout innings as the Cubs ended a three-game losing streak. He had a no-hitter until Adam Everett led off the sixth with a double.

Colorado 9, Florida 3 -- At Coors Field, Preston Wilson, Chris Stynes and Ronnie Belliard each drove in two runs, and Cory Vance earned his first major league victory.

Despite the loss, the Marlins remained a half game behind Philadelphia in the wild-card race.

San Francisco 2, Atlanta 1 -- Edgardo Alfonzo hit a bases-loaded single in the ninth at Pacific Bell Park.

Shane Reynolds’ shutout bid was ruined when Benito Santiago tripled and scored in the eighth, and the Giants won it with a small-ball rally against Kevin Gryboski (6-4).

Rich Aurilia had a bunt single and took third on Marquis Grissom’s one-out bloop single to right.

After the Braves intentionally walked Barry Bonds to load the bases, Alfonzo grounded a single through the middle of the drawn-in infield, scoring pinch-runner Neifi Perez.

San Diego 2, New York 1 -- Sean Burroughs hit a one-out RBI single off Grant Roberts (0-1) in the bottom of the ninth inning at San Diego.

Phil Nevin led off the ninth with a single. He stole second as Ryan Klesko struck out. Dave Hansen was walked intentionally before Burroughs hit a liner to center.

Milwaukee 10, Philadelphia 1 -- Richie Sexson hit a two-run homer and Brady Clark added a three-run shot as the Brewers roughed up Randy Wolf at Milwaukee.

Wolf (12-8) beat the Brewers last Thursday and had won seven of his last 11 decisions. The left-hander lasted 4 1/3 innings and gave up a season-high seven runs and seven hits.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

WILD-CARD RACE

*--* W L GB Philadelphia 69 56 -- Florida 69 57 1/2 Arizona 66 60 3 1/2 DODGERS 65 60 4 Chicago 65 60 4 Montreal 66 61 4 St. Louis 65 61 4 1/2

*--*