Angry Alou Helps Rally Cubs, 8-7

Moises Alou was angry when he arrived at Wrigley Field on Wednesday and took it out on the St. Louis Cardinals.

Alou had a career-high five hits, including a go-ahead single in the eighth inning that capped a comeback from a six-run deficit and led the Chicago Cubs over the Cardinals, 8-7, at Chicago.

“Against St. Louis, right in the middle of a pennant race, for me to come up clutch and get the game-winning hit was awesome,” he said. “It was a huge game. Down, 6-0, this team really showed a lot of heart.”

Before the game, Alou said he was still upset over an umpire’s call that the Cubs felt cost them the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. A bases-loaded drive down the line by Alou was called foul -- even though a photo appeared to show it hit the line -- and the Cubs lost, 2-0.

Alou then went out and drove in four runs to lead the Cubs to a big win in a tension-filled game that included a shouting match between managers and the starting pitchers hitting each other with pitches.

“That was a great, great victory for us,” Cub Manager Dusty Baker said. “We were hitting the ball hard all day long and had nothing to show for it. The guys kept battling and fighting and grinding and grinding.”

Florida 3, Pittsburgh 0 -- Josh Beckett pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning and drove in a run at Miami and the Marlins remained tied for the NL wild-card lead with the Phillies.

Beckett (7-7) won for only the second time in seven starts, giving up only three hits over 7 2/3 innings. He retired 13 of his first 14 batters before giving up a one-out double to Carlos Rivera in the fifth. Jason Kendall singled in the sixth, and Tike Redman singled in the eighth.

Ugueth Urbina got four outs to earn his 28th save as the Marlins ended a losing streak at four against the Pirates -- all within the last week.

Philadelphia 8, Montreal 3 -- Jim Thome homered and drove in two runs to back Kevin Millwood at Philadelphia, and the Phillies beat the Expos for their fifth win in six games.

Montreal, which took an early lead on Wil Cordero’s three-run homer, lost its sixth in a row after a five-game winning streak and dropped five games behind in the wild-card race.

Millwood (14-9), who beat the Mets with eight shutout innings Friday, has won consecutive starts for the first time since May. He struck out eight in eight innings, allowing three runs and eight hits.

Thome’s 39 homers are the most for a Phillie since Mike Schmidt had 40 in 1983.

San Francisco 7, Colorado 6 -- Pinch-runner Eric Young avoided a tag at the plate to score the winning run in the ninth inning to lead the Giants at San Francisco and hand the Rockies their 10th consecutive road loss.

Young scored on a sacrifice fly by Edgardo Alfonzo. Colorado right fielder Larry Walker, who has one of baseball’s best arms, threw off line and Young was able to avoid a sweeping tag by catcher Charles Johnson by diving toward the plate.

Jay Payton had two of Colorado’s four homers.

Chris Stynes and Todd Helton also homered for the Rockies.

San Diego 12, Arizona 0 -- Gary Matthews Jr. hit a two-run triple to highlight a seven-run second inning as the Padres swept a two-game series at San Diego and handed the Diamondbacks their fifth consecutive loss.

The Diamondbacks have lost 14 of their last 20 games, including four in a row to the Padres, who have the NL’s worst record.

Mark Loretta and Brian Giles had three hits apiece for San Diego. Former Dodger Dave Hansen, a late-inning defensive replacement, hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Mike Myers.

New York 9, Atlanta 3 -- Jorge Velandia hit a two-run triple and an RBI double at New York a day after being called up from the minors, and the Mets completed their first sweep of the Braves since 1995.

Roger Cedeno broke an 0-for-18 slump with two hits and also drove in a run, and Steve Trachsel (14-8) pitched eight strong innings and added an RBI single in a steady drizzle.

The last-place Mets outscored the first-place Braves, 15-6, in their first sweep of the Braves since taking three in a row at Shea Stadium from Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 1995.

Milwaukee 9, Cincinnati 6 -- Brady Clark hit a homer, triple and double and scored four runs at Milwaukee to lead the Brewers to their 14th victory in 16 games.

Clark had a chance to get his first career cycle, but flied out to right in the eighth.