The Associated Press

MIAMI - The Florida Marlins kept swinging, and by the middle of the game the Philadelphia Phillies literally were ducking out of the way.

All that's left is the knockout punch from the Marlins, who held on during a harrowing eighth inning and beat slumping Philadelphia 6-5 Wednesday night to take a three-game lead in the NL wild-card race with only four games to go.

Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco scrambled to avoid being beaned by a broken bat on a run-scoring single. Florida's Jeff Conine homered for the second night in a row, Juan Encarnacion also homered and Josh Beckett took a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning.

Conine is 7-for-17 with three homers in five games against Philadelphia this month.

The Phillies said Wednesday's game was one they had to win, and they scored five times in the eighth after falling behind 6-0. But Chase Utley struck out with two on to end the inning, and Ugueth Urbina's perfect ninth gave Florida its largest lead this season in the wild-card standings.

Philadelphia and Houston are both three games back.

The Marlins can clinch a playoff berth today, and they can eliminate Philadelphia by completing a sweep of their three-game series. Brad Penny (13-10) is scheduled to pitch for the Marlins against Randy Wolf (16-9).

Beckett (9-8) sent the Phillies to their fourth consecutive loss. His next start could come in the first game of the playoffs Tuesday at San Francisco.

The Marlins won for the 13th time in their past 15 home games.

Cardinals 8, Brewers 4

MILWAUKEE - J.D. Drew homered, Matt Morris pitched seven solid innings and St. Louis staved off playoff elimination. By winning for the seventh time in their last eight games, the Cardinals stayed 3 1/2 games behind Chicago in the NL Central race with three games to go.

Astros 2, Giants 1

HOUSTON - Jose Vizcaino pinch hit in the seventh inning and singled home two runs to lead Houston over a lineup of San Francisco substitutes.

Houston, which remained one game behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs, stopped a four-game losing streak, which had tied a season high. A defeat would have dropped the Astros two games back with four to play.

Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 3

DENVER - Randy Johnson beat Colorado for the eighth straight time, and Danny Bautista homered twice to back him. Johnson (6-8) is 13-4 in 18 starts against the Rockies and hasn't lost to them since June 24, 2001.

Braves 9, Expos 1

ATLANTA - Russ Ortiz allowed three hits in five scoreless innings to win his 21st game of the season for Atlanta. Ortiz (21-7), who will be the Braves' starter Tuesday in the opening game of their first-round playoff series, ran his scoreless innings streak to 14.

Ortiz, who leads the NL in wins, walked four and struck out two. He also singled, drove in a run and scored another.

Mets 5, Pirates 3

NEW YORK - Steve Trachsel won his career-high 16th game of the season, helped by Timo Perez's three hits and two RBI. New York won consecutive games for the first time since completing a three-game sweep of Atlanta on Sept. 3.