The Associated Press

ATLANTA - Derrek Lee homered and had four RBI as the Florida Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 Monday night to extend their NL wild-card lead.

The Marlins moved one game ahead of Philadelphia and host the Phillies for three games beginning tonight, a series that could determine if Florida makes the playoffs for the first time since winning the World Series in 1997.

Florida also leads the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros by two games. Los Angeles, which played later Monday at San Diego, was three games back.

The Marlins split a four-game series with the NL East champion Braves, the finale played on a damp, dreary night before an announced crowd of 17,345 - the smallest in Turner Field history. The actual turnout appeared to be less than 10,000 for a game that was delayed 53 minutes in the first inning by rain.

The game began in a mist that quickly grew in intensity. Florida loaded the bases in the first against Mike Hampton (14-8) without getting a ball out of the infield. Luis Castillo led off with a walk before Juan Pierre and Ivan Rodriguez reached on consecutive bunt singles.

Lee lined a run-scoring single to left, giving the Marlins a 1-0 lead and leaving the bases loaded. But with a 1-0 count on Miguel Cabrera, umpires called for the tarp.

When play resumed, Cabrera took another ball, then lined a two-run single to right.

Florida doubled its lead in the second. Castillo and Pierre singled before Lee launched a 2-0 sinker into the left-field seats for a three-run homer, his 31st of the season. He also has 88 RBI, surpassing his previous career high of 86 set in 2002.

The Marlins have dominated Hampton this season. In four starts, he went 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA.

The Braves scored in the sixth when Gary Sheffield hit a three-run homer, his 38th of the season. It pushed his RBI total to 127, tying the Atlanta record set by Hank Aaron in 1966 - the team's first season here after moving from Milwaukee.

Giants 6, Astros 3

HOUSTON - Pinch-hitter Pedro Feliz and Ray Durham hit consecutive homers off Billy Wagner in the ninth inning, sending San Francisco past Houston. Houston lost its third in a row and dropped into a tie for the NL Central lead with the Chicago Cubs, who did not play.

The Cubs hold a share of first place for the first time since Sept. 10.

The NL West champion Giants boosted their record at Minute Maid Park to 12-1 and moved within one game of Atlanta for the best record in the league.

Marquis Grissom and Andres Galarraga homered, giving the Giants a 2-0 lead. Barry Bonds went 0-for-4, ending his streak of reaching base in 58 straight games.

With the score tied at 3, Jose Cruz Jr. singled off Wagner (1-4) with one out in the ninth. Feliz followed with his 14th homer for a 5-3 lead, and Durham's shot made it 6-3.