Marlin Victory Is No Smoke Screen

Jack McKeon leaned back in his chair, puffed on his cigar and offered an observation after the Florida Marlins took advantage of some sloppy play by the Mets in a 7-3 victory Wednesday at New York.

“In a close game, give us an opening and we’re coming through the door,” the Florida manager said.

The Mets offered multiple openings with three errors, each of them contributing to Florida runs.

Florida, which has won 11 of 13, took a one-game lead over Philadelphia in the National League wild-card race.

Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning for the Marlins.

Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 2 -- Javy Lopez hit his 39th homer to give the host Braves a franchise-record 216 homers.

The major league record for homers in a season is 257, by Baltimore in 1996. Houston set the NL mark with 249 in 2000.

Houston 3, Milwaukee 1 -- Jeriome Robertson won his 14th game, the most among rookies this season, and the Astros regained sole possession of first place in the NL Central with the victory at Milwaukee.

Robertson (14-7) matched the Astro rookie record for victories, set when Roy Oswalt finished 14-3 two years ago, and sent Milwaukee to its sixth consecutive loss.

Montreal 8, Chicago 4 -- Pinch-hitter Jose Macias hit a go-ahead double in a five-run eighth inning at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

St. Louis 10, Colorado 2 -- Albert Pujols hit two home runs, and Brett Tomko pitched a six-hitter and had two hits at St. Louis to give Tony La Russa his 2,000th victory as a manager.

La Russa became the eighth major league manager to reach the milestone. He’s in his 25th season, eighth with the Cardinals.

San Francisco 7, San Diego 1 -- Edgardo Alfonzo hit a two-run homer, and Ray Durham and Jose Cruz Jr. each hit a solo home run in a victory at San Diego.

Kirk Rueter (8-5), who won for the first time in 10 starts, gave up four singles in 6 1/3 innings before leaving after giving up a homer to Phil Nevin.

Barry Bonds of the Giants doubled in each of his first two at-bats, extending his streak of reaching base to seven plate appearances before grounding in the fifth.

Pittsburgh 3, Cincinnati 2 -- Pinch-hitter Rob Mackowiak hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the Pirates at Cincinnati.

The Reds struck out 12 times to set the club season record with 1,189. They struck out 1,188 times last year. Cincinnati has struck out 10 times or more in 40 of its 145 games.