Lee Does His Job for the Cubs, 5-2

Derrek Lee was on the other side 11 months ago, helping the Florida Marlins to victory in the NL championship series en route to a World Series title.

Now his job is to keep the Marlins from getting back to the playoffs and to help the Chicago Cubs return. He hit a three-run double in the eighth inning to give the Cubs a 5-2 victory Saturday at Wrigley Field.

The win enabled the Cubs to remain in a virtual tie with the San Francisco Giants for the wild-card lead. The Cubs dropped the Marlins 2 1/2 games back.

Chicago came back from a 2-0 deficit and tied the score in the eighth on an RBI single by Sammy Sosa, who was dropped to sixth in the batting order for the first time in 10 years.

Sosa struck out in his first two at-bats and was booed loudly, as he has been frequently during his recent struggles. He singled in his next two at-bats, raising his average to .257.

Pittsburgh 5, Houston 2 -- At Pittsburgh, Jason Bay homered and drove in four runs and Ryan Vogelsong (5-12) limited the Astros to one run over six innings, handing them their third loss in four games after a 12-game winning streak.

The Astros fell one game behind the Cubs in the wild-card race. They are 1-3 in a five-game weekend series against the sub-.500 Pirates.

Colorado 13, San Diego 2 -- Matt Holliday and Clint Barmes each had three RBIs at Coors Field, and the Rockies handed the Padres their eighth loss in 11 games -- and fourth in a week to the Rockies. The loss dropped them 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs. Former UCLA star Garrett Atkins hit his first major league home run, a two-run shot in the seventh inning, for the Rockies.

Philadelphia 11, New York 9 -- David Bell’s second home run of the game broke a 13th-inning tie, and the Phillies overcame a four-run deficit at Shea Stadium. Jim Thome beat out an infield hit that glanced off the glove of Vic Darensbourg (0-1), and Bell followed with his homer.

New York (eight) and Philadelphia (10) combined to tie the major league record for pitchers used, and Philadelphia matched the league record for one team, one shy of the major league mark set by Seattle in 1996.

Atlanta 8, Montreal 1 -- At Atlanta, pinch-hitter Julio Franco capped a six-run seventh inning with a two-run double to help the Braves extend their lead over the Marlins in the East Division to 8 1/2 games. But they lost starting pitcher Mike Hampton.

Hampton gave up four hits in 4 1/3 scoreless innings before he had to leave the game because of a strained left knee. He said he “felt it pop” while making a pitch to Jamey Carroll in the fifth inning.

Cincinnati 9, Milwaukee 0 -- Adam Dunn hit a grand slam during a seven-run third inning at Cincinnati. Dunn and Austin Kearns hit consecutive homers in the inning off Victor Santos (10-10).

Dunn has 42 homers, third in the league.