Sep 15, 2006 4 min read

CHICAGO (AP) – Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer off reliever Brett Tomko in the seventh inning Thursday and the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 6-5 victory that reduced the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lead in the NL West to a half-game. The Dodgers headed home after losing two of three at Wrigley Field to the Cubs, who are 29 games under .500. Los Angeles begins a key four-game series Friday with second-place San Diego.

J.D. Drew’s three-run homer off Carlos Marmol gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead in the sixth and put Hong-Chih Kuo in position to win his second straight start.

But Tomko (8-7) was roughed up. Ronny Cedeno’s single, a bunt single by Juan Pierre and a two-out RBI single by Ryan Theriot made it 5-3. Ramirez followed with his 33rd homer, giving him 100 RBIs for the season.

Scott Eyre (1-2) got the win with 1 2-3 innings of hitless relief. Bob Howry pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save.

Padres 4, Reds 2

CINCINNATI – Mike Cameron’s bases-loaded single broke open a scoreless game in the seventh inning, and San Diego knocked Cincinnati farther back in the playoff chase.

The Padres secured their wild-card lead and headed for Los Angeles. It’s the last time the top two teams in the NL West are scheduled to play this season.

Clay Hensley (9-11) struck out a career-high seven in the latest impressive performance by the NL’s top pitching staff. The right-hander gave up two runs in 6 2-3 innings, retiring 14 in a row during one stretch.

Trevor Hoffman fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 474th career save, leaving him four shy of Lee Smith’s record. Hoffman has converted 38 of 42 chances this season.

Cameron’s two-run single off Aaron Harang (13-11) could go down as the hit that finally toppled the Reds, who lost two of three in a pivotal series.

Since they moved within a percentage point of first place in the NL Central on Aug. 24, the Reds have dropped 13 of 18. Cincinnati stands fifth in the wild-card race, trailing the Padres by 41/2 games with only 16 remaining.

Giants 5, Rockies 0

SAN FRANCISCO – Matt Cain allowed two hits in eight superb innings to win his fourth straight start, and San Francisco gained ground in the NL West race with a victory over Colorado.

Omar Vizquel scored the game’s first run in the sixth inning on Moises Alou’s double-play grounder, and the Giants rallied for four more in the seventh to win for the eighth time in 11 games.

Cain (13-9) retired 10 of Colorado’s first 11 hitters, then set down 13 straight after escaping a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. He had seven strikeouts and never tired in a 118-pitch outing, beating the Rockies for the third time this season. Vinnie Chulk worked a perfect ninth.

Cain, whose 13 wins lead all NL rookies, has been nearly unhittable for a month now. He is 5-0 in six starts since Aug. 12 with a 0.21 ERA, and he hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 30 2-3 innings.

Barry Bonds went 1-for-3 with a walk for the Giants, who will begin a 10-game road trip Friday in St. Louis.

The three-team California playoff derby is still tight. Third-place San Francisco moved within three games of the division-leading Dodgers.

Aaron Cook (9-14) matched Cain through five scoreless innings before faltering late.

Braves 4, Phillies 1

ATLANTA – Chuck James pitched seven shutout innings, Andruw Jones hit his 34th homer, and the Braves dropped the Phillies into a second-place tie for the NL wild card.

San Diego, which won 4-2 at Cincinnati, is 21/2 games ahead of Philadelphia and the San Francisco Giants, who beat Colorado 5-0.

Jamie Moyer (2-2) gave up Jones’ solo shot in the sixth and a three-run homer to rookie third baseman Martin Prado in the fifth. It was the first homer of Prado’s career.

The 43-year-old left-hander allowed four runs and five hits in six innings.

James (10-3) pitched seven shutout innings, allowing five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. The rookie left-hander has won four straight starts and is 6-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last eight games.

Bob Wickman worked the ninth for his 14th save in 15 chances.