Mets, Cubs, Snakes Cling To 2-Game Leads

NEW YORK (AP) _ The Mets, Cubs and Diamondbacks all have two-game leads in their division heading into the season's final games. In the wild card race, the Padres lead both the Phillies and Rockies

Wednesday, September 26th 2007, 7:38 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ The Mets, Cubs and Diamondbacks all have two-game leads in their division heading into the season's final games. In the wild card race, the Padres lead both the Phillies and Rockies by one game.

The New York Mets moved a step closer to clinching their second straight NL East title despite an agonizing 10-9 loss to Washington. The Mets trailed 10-3 in the ninth until Jose Reyes hit a three-run homer and Moises Alou added a three-run double. But the Mets stranded the potential tying run on third and lost to the Nationals for the fourth time in five games since last Monday.

Nats outfielder Austin Kearns hit a three-run homer for the second straight game.

The Mets' magic number was cut to four when the second-place Phillies lost to Atlanta 10-6. Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and Chipper Jones added a two-run blast as the Braves overcame homers by Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Chase Utley.

The outcome puts the Phils one game behind San Diego for the NL wild card.

The Brewers are just two behind the Central-leading Chicago Cubs after Prince Fielder smacked his 49th and 50th home runs in a 9-1 pounding of St. Louis. The 23-year-old Fielder became the youngest major leaguer to reach the 50-homer mark when he belted his second two-run blast of the night.

Bill Hall added a three-run homer and Rickie Weeks led off the game with a blast to support Jeff Suppan. The former Cardinal allowed nine hits but only one run in eight innings.

The Cubs had won four straight and 10 of 12 until Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Hermida led Florida's 4-2 win over the Cubbies. Willis went eight innings and had a one-hit shutout until Craig Monroe hit a two-run homer in the eighth. Hermida supplied a two-run double that capped the Marlins' four-run second against Ted Lilly, who was seeking his 16th victory.

The Padres reclaimed the wild-card lead by scoring four times with two outs in the ninth to beat San Francisco 6-4. Brian Giles put the Padres ahead with a three-run homer after Brady Clark prolonged the rally with an RBI single.

Khalil Greene and Scott Hairston hit solo shots for the Padres, who are within two games of West-leading Arizona.

The Diamondbacks erased a 5-1 deficit in the eighth before pinch-hitter Josh Phelps hit an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to give Pittsburgh a 6-5 win over the D-Backs. Nyjer Morgan homered and Nate McLouth added a two-run single as the Pirates ended a nine-game losing streak.

Colorado knocked off the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-7, keeping the Rockies a game behind the Padres. Troy Tulowitzki hit a go-ahead, two-run homer and Todd Helton added a pair of ribbies in the Rockies' ninth straight win.

Colorado is just three games off the NL West lead. With the loss, the Dodgers have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

The other NL game had Houston beating Cincinnati 8-5. Hunter Pence homered and Craig Biggio drove in two runs as Houston rallied from a 5-1 deficit.