By The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Cardinals roughed up World Series MVP Josh Beckett on and got dominant pitching from Jason Marquis in a 6-3 victory Friday night over the Florida Marlins.

Ray Lankford homered, Hector Luna had two RBI singles and Jim Edmonds doubled twice, drove in a run and scored twice to help the Cardinals win for the fourth time in five games. Beckett (3-3), who shut out the Yankees in Game 6 to clinch the World Series title, gave up six runs on nine hits in six innings.

Marquis (2-3) allowed two runs on five hits in 7 2-3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks. Jason Isringhausen got his seventh save.

Mets 8, Astros 3

HOUSTON - Cliff Floyd hit a grand slam and Mike Piazza had his seventh homer of the season for New York, which has won eight of 12.

Steve Trachsel (4-3) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, and Ricky Bottalico and Orber Moreno combined for one-hit relief.

Roy Oswalt (2-2) struck out seven in seven innings, giving up five runs and seven hits as Houston lost its third straight. It was the first time in his career he allowed a grand slam. Craig Biggio hit his eighth homer for the Astros.

Braves 2, Brewers 0

MILWAUKEE - J.D. Drew and Chipper Jones hit consecutive homers in the eighth inning in support of Horacio Ramirez.

Drew and Jones connected off Luis Vizcaino (0-2), who started the eighth in relief of Victor Santos. Drew has homered in three straight games.

Ramirez (1-3) allowed five hits in eight innings while striking out five and walking three. John Smoltz worked the for his sixth save in seven tries.

Santos, making just his third major league start, struck out six and walked two while giving up five hits and no runs in a career-high seven innings.

Cubs 6, Padres 1

SAN DIEGO - Sammy Sosa homered to tie Mike Schmidt for ninth place on the career list with 548, and Greg Maddux pitched eight strong innings to lead Chicago over San Diego.

Cubs leadoff batter Jose Macias hit a bases-loaded triple into the left-field corner with one out in the ninth. He also tripled in the eighth and scored. Macias and Moises Alou each had three hits.

Ismael Valdez (3-2) gave up Sosa's ninth homer of the season in the fourth. Corey Patterson also connected to help give Maddux (3-3) his 22nd win in 40 career starts against the Padres.

Pirates 4, Giants 2

SAN FRANCISCO - Daryle Ward tied it with a two-run homer, then singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to lead Pittsburgh past San Francisco.

Ward connected for his second homer in two days in the seventh following a triple by Jack Wilson. In the eighth, Ward lined an RBI single off Felix Rodriguez (1-3).

Rob Mackowiak homered for the Pirates leading off the ninth.

Brian Boehringer (1-1) pitched the seventh for the win, and Jose Mesa worked the ninth for his 10th save in 10 chances.

Ward, called up last week when Pittsburgh placed Raul Mondesi on the restricted list, hit his first homer since 2002 on Thursday in Colorado.

Barry Bonds was removed from San Francisco's lineup before the game because of back spasms.

Phillies 6, Rockies 4

DENVER - Pat Burrell homered and drove in four runs, Bobby Abreu also connected and Philadelphia beat struggling Colorado.

Eric Milton (4-0) was helped by three double plays, and the Phillies improved to 6-1 on their 10-game road trip.

After All-Star closer Billy Wagner went on the disabled list earlier in the day, Tim Worrell worked the ninth for his second save.

Vinny Castilla and Jeromy Burnitz homered for the Rockies, who have lost seven of 10. Joe Kennedy (4-1) allowed four runs in six innings.

Expos 4, Diamondbacks 3

PHOENIX - Orlando Cabrera's ninth-inning single sent Montreal to a win over Arizona.

Brian Schneider hit his fourth home run for the Expos, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

Endy Chavez hit a two-out double in the ninth off Jose Valverde (0-1), and Jose Vidro was walked intentionally.

Cabrera then hit a shot just under the glove of third baseman Chad Tracy, scoring Chavez for a 4-3 Montreal lead.

Chad Cordero (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win, and Rocky Biddle got his eighth save.

Steve Finley hit his major league-leading 12th home run for the Diamondbacks, who have lost three straight.