NATIONAL LEAGUE Reds clinch series with 3-1 win

The Astros have lost eight of their last 11 games.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON -- Paul Wilson beat Houston for the second time in a week and Juan Castro hit a two-run double Saturday as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Astros, 3-1.
The Reds won for the second straight day at Minute Maid Park and have taken four of their last five against the NL Central leaders. Last Sunday, Wilson was the winner as Cincinnati clinched the three-game series.
The Astros lost for the eighth time in 11 games. They still maintained a one-half game lead over Chicago, which lost to Arizona 13-2.
Wilson (8-10), who had won only two of his previous eight decisions, didn't allow a runner to reach third base until the seventh inning when Richard Hidalgo doubled with two out and scored on Brad Ausmus' single.
Wilson pitched seven innings and allowed one run and five hits.
Chris Reitsma worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save in 10 opportunities.
CINCINNATIHOUSTON
abrhbiabrhbi
Taylor cf5120Biggio cf4000
Olmedo ss4000Brkmn lf4000
DJmnz 2b3011Bgwell 1b4000
Casey 1b4010JKent 2b4000
RMateo rf3100Ensbrg 3b4010
Stenson lf3100Hidalgo rf3120
Hredia p0000Asmus c3021
Ritsma p0000AEvrtt ss2000
JCastro 3b4022JVzcno ss1000
LaRue c3000Rdding p1000
PWilsn p2000Blum ph0000
Freel lf1000Gallo p0000
Lidge p0000
Merced ph1000
RiWhte p0000
Totals32363Totals31151
Cincinnati020010000--3
Houston000000100--1
DP--Cincinnati 1. LOB--Cincinnati 8, Houston 4. 2B--Taylor (5), JCastro (10), Ensberg (11), Hidalgo (32). SB--DJimenez (5), Freel (6).
IPHRERBBSO
Cincinnati
PWilson W,8-10751113
Heredia100001
Reitsma S,5100000
Houston
Redding L,8-12643347
Gallo110001
Lidge100001
RiWhite110001
HBP--by RiWhite (LaRue), by Redding (RMateo). Umpires--Home, Chris Guccione; First, Tim Timmons; Second, Mike Reilly; Third, Eric Cooper. T--2:30. A--32,560 (40,950).
Braves 5, Rockies 4
DENVER -- Mike Hampton won in his return to Coors Field, earning his ninth straight victory as Atlanta held off Colorado.
Gary Sheffield had a three-run double, Andruw Jones hit his 31st homer and Javy Lopez got three hits for Atlanta, which has won six straight over the Rockies.
The Braves scored 14 runs in two games against Colorado, matching their total the previous five games.
Jay Payton homered and drove in two runs for Colorado, which lost fourth time in 21 home series this season.
Hampton (12-5) struggled in his two seasons with the Rockies -- 21-28 with a 5.75 ERA -- after signing an eight-year, $121 million contract, but an offseason trade to Atlanta has revitalized his career.
He is 9-0 over his past 10 starts and hasn't lost since giving up nine runs in a 20-1 loss to Florida on July 1.
ATLANTACOLORADO
abrhbiabrhbi
Furcal ss5111Blliard 2b5022
MGiles 2b4000Stynes 3b5010
Shffield rf4013Helton 1b4110
CJones lf3000PrWlsn cf5020
AJones cf4111LWalkr rf5010
Fick 1b3000Payton lf4122
JLopez c4130CJhson c4110
Castilla 3b3110Uribe ss3010
Hmptn p1100Norton ph0000
Hodges p0000Fentes p0000
Merckr p0000Tsao p2110
DeRosa ph1000SReed p0000
Smoltz p0000RReyes ph1000
Brnero p0000
Bllhorn ss1000
Totals32575Totals394124
Atlanta000050000--5
Colorado010200100--4
E--Hampton (1). DP--Colorado 1. LOB--Atlanta 5, Colorado 12. 2B--Sheffield (30), Belliard 2 (24), CJohnson (19). HR--AJones (31), Payton (18). S--Hampton. SF--Payton.
IPHRERBBSO
Atlanta
Hampton W,12-56 2-3114423
Hodges1-300001
Mercker110001
Smoltz S,44100003
Colorado
Tsao L,2-24 2-365524
SReed1 1-310020
Bernero100000
Fuentes200002
HBP--by Hodges (Norton). Umpires--Home, Gary Darling; First, Steve Rippley; Second, Jerry Meals; Third, Matt Hollowell. T--3:00. A--42,303.