The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - Mark Prior allowed three hits in eight sharp innings, and Randall Simon and Aramis Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs in a six-run third inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4.

The Cubs won for only the third time in 14 games at Busch Stadium the last two seasons and moved a half-game ahead of the Cardinals for second in the tight NL Central. First-place Houston played later. It was the first of eight games in 11 days between the rivals.

Garrett Stephenson (7-13) got knocked out early, perhaps opening the door for newly-acquired Sterling Hitchcock in the St. Louis rotation.

Prior (13-5) has dominated in five starts since coming off the 15-day disabled list from a bruised shoulder Aug. 4. During that time, he's 5-0 with two complete games and an 0.69 ERA (three earned runs in 39 innings), lowering his overall ERA to 2.47.

He beat the Cardinals for the first time in three career decisions, striking out six and walking one.

St. Louis got only two baserunners in an inning once, and Prior retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.

Pirates 4, Marlins 3

PITTSBURGH - Jason Kendall, upset at not being traded along with Brian Giles to San Diego earlier in the day, hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning.

The Marlins' sixth loss in seven games dropped them out of a tie with the Phillies in the NL wild-card race. Eight teams began the night within three games of the lead.

Kendall's three-hit night came hours after his best friend on the team, Giles, was dealt to the Padres in a long-rumored four-player deal. Kendall expected to be included, and Giles told reporters the catcher was disappointed he wasn't traded.

The Pirates ended a four-game losing streak despite playing with a roster depleted by the Giles trade and sickness.

Expos 14, Phillies 10

MONTREAL - Wil Cordero hit a pair of two-run doubles as Montreal rallied from an eight-run deficit and beat Philadelphia.

Montreal fell behind 8-0 after five innings and were trailing 10-4 before scoring seven runs in the seventh, highlighted by Cordero and Jose Vidro's two-run doubles.

The Expos won their third straight and moved within two games of Philadelphia for the NL wild card.

Astros 18, Dodgers 4

HOUSTON - Jeff Kent homered and drove in five runs and Jeff Bagwell also homered as Houston routed Los Angeles.

The Astros came within one run of matching the highest-scoring game in franchise history, last done in 1999. Houston's previous top run total this season was 13 on May 7 against Pittsburgh.

Kent, who went 3-for-4, and pinch hitter Jason Lane each delivered three-run doubles.

Mets 6, Braves 5

ATLANTA - Mike Piazza hit a three-run homer in his first game against Atlanta this year, and Timo Perez added a two-run double as New York beat Atlanta.

Piazza missed nearly three months with a strained right groin, including the previous 13 games between the teams. He connected in the first off Shane Reynolds (10-7) for a 3-0 lead and the Mets held on from there.

Since returning from the disabled list Aug. 13, Piazza's hitting .273 with three homers and 13 RBI in 10 games.