By The Associated Press

MONTREAL - Jim Thome hit his major league-leading 24th home run and Kevin Millwood won for the first time in eight starts, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Expos on Wednesday night.

Thome homered off Sun-woo Kim (3-3) to lead off the second. Mike Lieberthal and David Bell also had solo shots for Philadelphia.

Millwood (5-5) pitched 6 1-3 effective innings for his first win since May 11. He allowed two runs and five hits, including Orlando Cabrera's RBI single in the first and Jose Vidro's solo homer in the sixth.

Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

Cardinals 10, Cubs 9

ST. LOUIS - So Taguchi scored the go-ahead run on Paul Bako's passed ball in the eighth inning.

The Cardinals improved to 28-8 at home against the Cubs since the start of the 2000 season. Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer for the Cardinals, his 20th.

Todd Walker homered and had four hits for Chicago.

Steve Kline (2-1) retired the last five batters to beat Mike Remlinger (0-1).

Pirates 7, Astros 2

HOUSTON - Ryan Vogelsong allowed two hits in six innings to win for the first time in 12 starts, and Jason Kendall hit his first career grand slam to lead Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh snapped a five-game losing streak and won for just the second time in 17 games at Houston.

Vogelsong (2-7) walked three and struck out three. Loser Munro (1-1) gave up four runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Rockies 3, Brewers 2

MILWAUKEE - Starter Shawn Estes had a run-scoring double, and reliever Shawn Chacon worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning for his 14th save to help Colorado end an eight-game road losing streak.

Estes (8-3) allowed two runs in 7 1-3 innings and Aaron Miles had a two-run single in the three-run third for the Rockies. Chacon relieved to start the ninth and loaded the bases with one out before retiring Lyle Overbay and Brady Clark.

The Rockies did all their scoring in the third, when Estes doubled off Chris Capuano (2-3).

Marlins 6, Braves 0

MIAMI - Brad Penny pitched six innings, Jeff Conine homered for the first time in more than a month and Florida beat slumping Atlanta.

The Braves have lost six of their last seven games to fall six games under .500 for the first time since 1990.

Penny (7-5) allowed four hits and struck out seven to win for the first time in five starts, and Conine had a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Juan Pierre and Hee Seop Choi also had homers against John Thomson (5-6).