Struggling Phillies Swept by Astros

Clutch hits. Outstanding relief work. Late-inning rallies.

All of that has kept the Houston Astros alive and confident about the National League wild-card race. The Philadelphia Phillies had none of it on their homestand and are fading from the playoff picture.

Eric Bruntlett, Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman homered during a seven-run rally in the seventh inning, and the Astros turned a game-changing triple play to beat Philadelphia, 12-10, on Thursday, sending the Phillies to their seventh straight loss.

“We need wins more than anything, but this also shows how we can come back,” Astro Manager Phil Garner said. “Emotions are real high right now.”

The Phillies led, 7-2, in the fifth when Todd Pratt grounded into a bases-loaded triple play, the first turned by Houston in 13 years.

The Astros, hoping to stay close in the NL wild-card race, swept the three-game series, won their fourth in a row and finished 5-4 on their trip.

Philadelphia finished a 1-9 homestand and gave Manager Larry Bowa another reason to worry about his job a day after General Manager Ed Wade declined to give him an endorsement.

The Phillies matched a team record for most losses on a homestand -- they went 1-9-1 in 1941 at Connie Mack Stadium.

Chicago 9, Milwaukee 6 -- Greg Maddux overcame a shaky start to earn his 301st win, and Sammy Sosa hit one of Chicago’s three home runs at Milwaukee.

Maddux (12-8) gave up four runs in the first inning but settled down to push the Cubs within a half-game of San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.

Sosa hit his 27th homer of the season and the 566th overall, moving within seven of Harmon Killebrew on the career list.

Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 2 -- Scott Rolen’s second error of the game allowed the go-ahead run to score in the 10th inning at St. Louis.

Reggie Sanders tied it, 2-2, in the ninth with a two-out homer off Pirate closer Jose Mesa.

Oliver Perez had 10 strikeouts and gave up only an unearned run in seven innings for the Pirates, who have won nine of 12 and have a four-game winning streak against the NL Central leaders.

Rolen has seven errors this season. The five-time Gold Glove third baseman also dropped a foul popup by Rob Mackowiak in the ninth, but Mackowiak ended up striking out. The game was delayed by rain for 72 minutes before the bottom of the eighth.

New York 10-4, Colorado 3-2 -- David Wright hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Mets completed a doubleheader sweep at Denver.

New York won the opener behind Kris Benson’s pitching and Mike Cameron’s four RBIs.