NL | Astros rally to defeat Reds, 7-5

HOUSTON - Luke Scott hit a go-ahead, two-run double in a three-run eighth inning, leading the Houston Astros over the Cincinnati Reds, 7-5, last night.

With the Reds ahead 5-4, pinch-hitters Mike Lamb and Mark Loretta hit back-to-back singles off Mike Stanton (1-1) with one out in the eighth, and Scott doubled to left-center for a 6-5 lead. Craig Biggio followed with an RBI double, his 2,957th hit.

Dan Wheeler got three outs for his fifth save in six chances, inducing Ken Griffey Jr. to ground into a game-ending double play with two on. Houston, which overcame Griffey's 566th homer, took two of three for its first series win since sweeping two games at Cincinnati on April 18-19.

Pirates 4, Brewers 2

MILWAUKEE - Given a chance to move 10 games over .500 for the first time in 15 years, Milwaukee fell short.

Jose Bautista and Ronny Paulino hit consecutive home runs in a four-run seventh inning, and Pittsburgh rallied for the victory that stopped the Brewers' four-game winning streak.

Milwaukee (18-10), which leads the NL Central, has not been 10 games over .500 since finishing the 1992 season 92-70. That also was the last time the Brewers finished with a winning record.

Tom Gorzelanny (4-1) won his fourth straight start, giving up two runs and six hits in seven innings.

Dave Bush (2-3) gave up four runs and six hits in seven innings, allowing just one runner past second base in the first six innings.

Mets 9, Diamondbacks 4

PHOENIX - New York rallied for six runs in the ninth inning, on three-run home runs by Damion Easley and David Wright, to defeat Arizona.

Five of the runs were charged to Jose Valverde, who began the ninth with a 4-3 lead.

Carlos Beltran also homered for New York. Arizona got a two-run homer from Chris Snyder in the fifth and a solo shot from Orlando Hudson in the sixth.

Both homers were hit off Mets starter Tom Glavine, who failed to capture his 294th career win.