Giants Power Past Brewers

It’s beginning to look as though the San Francisco Giants’ stretch run will wind up a success.

Kenny Lofton and Rich Aurilia hit consecutive seventh-inning homers, and the Giants kept up their strong play Saturday night with a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Milwaukee.

It was Lofton’s third homer and Aurilia’s 15th.

San Francisco has a two-game lead over the Dodgers in the National League wild-card race. The Giants, who trail NL West-leading Arizona by 5 1/2 games with seven to play, have won 11 of 16.

Jason Schmidt (12-8) gave up three hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked three. Tim Worrell pitched a hitless eighth, and Robb Nen finished with a perfect ninth for his 40th save in 48 chances.

“Robbie looked exceptionally sharp and Tim Worrell continues to excel,� San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker said. “It’s not easy coming into a 3-1 ballgame in this park, especially the way the ball’s flying out.�

Colorado 15, Arizona 8--The Diamondbacks lost Brian Anderson to a broken foot and wasted a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the second consecutive game, blowing a five-run lead at Denver.

Colorado went ahead in a seven-run seventh that included Juan Pierre’s tiebreaking single, his fifth hit.

Anderson broke a bone in his left foot when he was struck by Ben Petrick’s liner in the third inning

Houston 6, St. Louis 3--Wade Miller (15-3) tied a team record by winning his 12th consecutive decision, and Lance Berkman hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs for the Astros at St. Louis.

Miller, unbeaten in 15 starts since a June 26 loss to Arizona, tied the team record set by Mark Portugal in 1993.

Florida 6, Atlanta 4--Eric Owens hit a tiebreaking triple in a five-run, sixth-inning rally at Atlanta, and Brad Penny (8-6) beat the Braves for the third time this season.

Kevin Millwood (17-8) took a 3-0 lead and a two-hit shutout into the sixth, when he gave up four of the Marlins’ seven consecutive hits.

New York 6, Montreal 3--Esix Snead hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning, ending Montreal’s seven-game winning streak.

Mo Vaughn hit his 25th homer for the Mets, who tied it in the ninth on first baseman Andres Galarraga’s two-out throwing error.

Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 2--Sammy Sosa barely missed his 499th career homer and 49th this season with a go-ahead, two-run single off the right-field wall as the Cubs rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh.

Philadelphia 5-5, Cincinnati 3-4--Barry Larkin’s two errors in the 10th helped Philadelphia win the opener of a day-night doubleheader, and Tomas Perez’s 11th-inning homer against Joey Hamilton (4-10) finished the sweep.

Terry Adams (7-9) won both games and Jose Mesa saved both, tying Mitch Williams’ club record with 43 saves.