Cubs suffer third straight loss, fall 3-2

CHICAGO -- Andruw Jones hit a solo home run in the ninth inning Friday, and the Atlanta Braves sent the Chicago Cubs to their third straight loss, 3-2 Friday.

Jones' homer off Kyle Farnsworth (4-4) was his 30th this year and decided what began has a duel between Kerry Wood and Greg Maddux.

Maddux allowed only two hits in six innings, but one was a two-run homer in the fourth by Fred McGriff that landed on Waveland Avenue. Wood, who had been on the disabled list since Aug. 4 with tendinitis in his right shoulder, gave up two runs and five hits in six innings.

Steve Karsay (3-3) pitched the eighth, and John Smoltz worked the ninth for his sixth save. Atlanta, seeking its 10th straight division title, moved a season-high 3 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East.

ASTROS 5, BREWERS 3

HOUSTON -- Wade Miller beat Milwaukee for the fifth time this year as Houston increased its NL Central lead to a season-high 5 1/2 games, winning for the 25th time in 34 games.

Miller (16-7) struck out 10 and gave up one run in eight innings. He is 7-0 lifetime against the Brewers, beating them five times this season.

Milwaukee scored twice in the ninth against Mike Williams and Billy Wagner, who got his 34th save when Mark Loretta hit an infield liner with the bases loaded.

Mac Suzuki (3-6) walked eight in 4 1-3 innings.

EXPOS 4, PHILLIES 2

MONTREAL -- Javier Vazquez (16-11) won his sixth start in a row, allowing two runs and four hits in eight innings with nine strikeouts. Scott Stewart got the last out for his third save.

Philadelphia has lost five of six and is 37-50 since taking an eight-game lead on June 1.

Lee Stevens tied it at 1 with an RBI double to left field off Brandon Duckworth (2-1) in the second and Michael Barrett hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly.

METS 6, MARLINS 1

MIAMI -- Rey Ordonez homered and drove in three runs and Glendon Rusch (7-10) scattered eight hits in his first complete game of the season as New York won its fifth straight.

New York, which remained seven games back of Atlanta, has won 16 of its last 20 games. At 70-72, the Mets moved within two games of .500 for the first time since April 23, when the defending NL champions were 8-10.

A.J. Burnett (9-11) gave up four runs and five hits in six innings. Florida has lost 19 of 25.

PIRATES 3, REDS 1

PITTSBURGH -- Tony McKnight (3-3) gave up only a third-inning run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings and struck out six.

Omar Olivares got four outs for his fourth career save, his first since June 30, 1994, for St. Louis against Colorado. Pittsburgh won four of five for the first time since July 2-6.

Lance Davis (6-3) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. The tiebreaking run scored when Kevin Young grounded into a double play.

-- From wire reports