NATIONAL LEAGUE Cubs rally again to overcome Reds with 9-6 triumph

Aramis Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run while Eric Karros had four RBIs.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO -- Aramis Ramirez singled in the go-ahead run, and Eric Karros had four RBIs as the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-6 Saturday, overcoming a blown lead for the second straight day.
Mark Grudzielanek drove in a pair of runs for Chicago, which had to wait to find out if it gained any ground in the division race. Chicago began the day a game behind Houston in the NL Central.
The Astros played the Cardinals later Saturday. D'Angelo Jimenez homered and Ray Olmedo drove in a pair of runs, but that wasn't enough to keep the Reds from losing their fourth straight road game.
The Cubs blew a 5-0 lead Friday before coming back to beat the Reds 7-6. It was more of the same Saturday, as Chicago had leads of 4-1 and 5-4 and couldn't hold either one.
But the Cubs finally got themselves straightened out with a four-run seventh inning. With Chicago down 6-5, pinch-hitter Kenny Lofton led off with a double down the right-field line and went to third on Doug Glanville's sacrifice bunt.
Grudzielanek followed with a single off Matt Belisle (1-1), tying it at 6. Sammy Sosa followed with a single and, after Scott Randall relieved, Moises Alou drew a walk to load the bases.
CINCINNATICHICAGO
abrhbiabrhbi
Olmedo ss5022Glnville cf2010
Hmmel 3b5121Frnswr p0000
DJmnz 2b5121REMtiz ph0000
Casey 1b5011Kelton pr0000
Brnyan lf4110Brwski p0000
RMateo rf4010Grdzln 2b5132
Randall p0000SSosa rf5120
PNortn p0000Alou lf4210
WPena cf4110ARmrz 3b5121
CMiller c3221Karros 1b4124
Bale p2010ASGzlz ss2111
Cerros p0000DMiller c4000
Valent ph1000JuCruz p2110
Belisle p0000Guthrie p0000
Stenson rf1000Alfnsca p0000
Lofton cf2110
Totals396136Totals359148
Cincinnati011112000--6
Chicago04001040x--9
E--Hummel (2), ARamirez (29). DP--Cincinnati 1, Chicago 1. LOB--Cincinnati 8, Chicago 8. 2B--Hummel (4), Alou (34), Karros 2 (16), ASGonzalez (35), Lofton (31). 3B--JuCruz (1). HR--DJimenez (7). SB--ASGonzalez (2). S--Glanville. SF--CMiller.
IPHRERBBSO
Cincinnati
Bale485422
Cerros100000
Belisle L,1-11 1-333301
Randall1-321121
PNorton1 1-310011
Chicago
JuCruz5106613
Guthrie130001
Alfonseca W,3-1100000
Farnsworth100001
Borowski S,28100001
Bale pitched to 3 batters in the 5th, JuCruz pitched to 2 batters in the 6th, Guthrie pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. WP--Guthrie. Umpires--Home, Chris Guccione; First, Steve Rippley; Second, Larry Vanover; Third, Jerry Meals. T--3:11. A--39,983.
Brewers 5, Giants 4
SAN FRANCISCO -- Richie Sexson hit a pair of two-run homers and Milwaukee snapped a seven-game losing streak to San Francisco despite Barry Bonds' 654th homer.
Edgardo Alfonzo followed with a solo homer to center, then Andres Galarraga singled and Neifi Perez hit a two-run shot to left for his first homer in more than a year.
The rally fell short, however. The Giants loaded the bases against closer Dan Kolb in the ninth, but he struck out pinch-hitter J.T. Snow and got Perez on a groundout to end it.
It was Kolb's 18th save in 19 chances -- he has converted his last 18 opportunities.
Sexson's two homers gave him 40 for the second time. He hit 45 for Milwaukee in 2001.
MILWAUKEESAN FRAN
abrhbiabrhbi
Pdsdnk cf4100EYong 2b5010
KGintr 2b4120JoCruz rf3010
BClark lf4110Zerbe p0000
Sexson 1b3234FRdgez p0000
Helms 3b3000Drham ph0000
Zcclillo rf3000Hmnds cf5040
MSmith ph1000Bonds lf4111
Conti rf0000Alfonzo 3b4111
EddPrz c4010Glrrga 1b4110
Clayton ss4000Snow ph1000
DDavis p3000NPerez ss5122
Rusch p0000Trralba c2000
Estrla p0000Ponson p2000
Vn Wal ph1000Feliz ph1000
Kolb p0000Herges p0000
Linden rf1010
Grssom cf0000
Totals34574Totals374124
Milwaukee200200010--5
San Francisco000000040--4
E--EYoung (16). DP--Milwaukee 2, San Francisco 1. LOB--Milwaukee 4, San Francisco 12. 2B--KGinter (15), Sexson (25), NPerez (19). HR--Sexson 2 (40), Bonds (41), Alfonzo (11), NPerez (1). SB--BClark (12).
IPHRERBBSO
Milwaukee
DDavis W,3-1793342
Rusch1-321100
Estrella2-300000
Kolb S,18110021
San Francisco
Ponson L,3-4654403
Herges1 2-321020
Zerbe1-300000
FRodriguez100000
DDavis pitched to 3 batters in the 8th. Umpires--Home, Jim Joyce; First, Jim Reynolds; Second, Laz Diaz; Third, Dale Scott. T--2:47. A--41,403.
Marlins 8, Braves 3
MIAMI -- Florida drew its biggest crowd in more than two years -- and quickly gave the fans plenty to cheer about.
Miguel Cabrera capped a six-run first inning with a three-run homer, and the NL wild-card leaders won their seventh consecutive game.
The Marlins' bid for their first playoff berth since 1997 attracted a crowd of 40,414, their largest since July 13, 2001, against the New York Yankees.
Dontrelle Willis (13-6) pitched six innings for Florida. The winning streak is the Marlins' longest since Aug. 6-13, 1999, and they're 18 games above .500 for the first time in six years.
The Braves have lost three in a row and eight of 13.
ATLANTAFLORIDA
abrhbiabrhbi
Furcal ss4010Pierre cf5120
DeRosa 2b5010LCstillo 2b5111
Shffield rf5010IRdrgz c4111
CJones lf5110Conine lf3110
AJones cf4121JEcrcn rf4112
JvLopz c4122DeLee 1b3100
JuFrco 1b4010Cbrera 3b4134
Castilla 3b3010AGnzlz ss3000
Merckr p0000Willis p3000
Holmes p0000CFox p0000
MFrco ph1000Hlndsw ph0000
RHrndz p0000AFox pr0100
RuOrtiz p0000Looper p0000
Blanco ph1000
Mrquis p0000
Hssmn 3b0000
Totals363103Totals34898
Atlanta011000100--3
Florida60100001x--8
E--Castilla (19). DP--Florida 1. LOB--Atlanta 10, Florida 7. 2B--AJones 2 (26), JvLopez (24), Pierre (24), Conine (1), Cabrera 2 (21). HR--JvLopez (40), Cabrera (10). SB--DeLee (20).
IPHRERBBSO
Atlanta
RuOrtiz L,19-7367736
Marquis210012
Mercker100000
Holmes110003
RHernandez111110
Florida
Willis W,13-6682231
CFox221114
Looper100001
Umpires--Home, Mike Everitt; First, Jim Wolf; Second, Hunter Wendelstedt; Third, Larry Young. T--2:38. A--40,414.