The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - Jim Edmonds homered for the fourth straight game and Jeff Suppan worked six strong innings, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.

Ray Lankford, Hector Luna and So Taguchi drove in a run apiece for the NL Central leaders, who are 8-0 on the homestand with one game to go before the All-Star break and have won 10 straight at home overall. The Cardinals are 31-8 against the Cubs at Busch Stadium since 2000 and have an NL-best 54 victories.

Sammy Sosa was 2-for-4 with a homer and double, but fouled out against Jason Isringhausen with a runner on in the eighth and the Cardinals leading 3-2 when catcher Mike Matheny reached into the seats to make the grab.

The Cubs have lost five in a row, totaling just five runs during the slump.

Braves 4, Phillies 0

PHILADELPHIA - Mike Hampton pitched eight shutout innings and rookie Charles Thomas homered twice, leading Atlanta.

Hampton (4-8) allowed five hits and struck out five, and walked two. It was his longest outing since throwing a complete game in a loss to Arizona on May 18. Hampton beat Philadelphia for the first time since Sept. 23, 2000, when he was a member of the New York Mets.

Dodgers 3, Astros 1

LOS ANGELES - Wilson Alvarez outpitched Roger Clemens, and Paul Lo Duca hit a three-run homer to lead Los Angeles.

Alvarez (3-3), making his second spot start since Hideo Nomo went on the disabled list, allowed a run and three hits in six-plus innings.

Eric Gagne pitched two perfect innings - including striking out Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent in the ninth - for his 23rd save this season, and 86th in his last 87 attempts. He also broke Jeff Shaw's club record for saves with his 130th.

Rockies 6, Padres 2

SAN DIEGO - Hamilton High graduate Aaron Cook took a shutout into the seventh inning and Jeromy Burnitz and Todd Greene each hit solo homers for Colorado, which won its third straight.

Cook (4-3) allowed one run on eight hits with three strikeouts and three walks, and pitched out of trouble all day - leaving 10 baserunners stranded in six-plus innings.

Marlins 5, Mets 2

MIAMI - Mike Lowell hit a two-run homer and Ben Howard pitched out of a seventh-inning jam to help the Marlins beat the Mets. Florida won for only the third time in 10 games, beating Tom Glavine (7-7). He allowed four runs in six innings, and his career record at Pro Player Stadium fell to 6-12 with an ERA of 4.40.

Expos 4, Pirates 0

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Rocky Biddle pitched five scoreless innings to win his first start in almost two years, and Jamey Carroll drove-in two runs for Montreal. Biddle (1-4), making his first start since September 25, 2002, with the Chicago White Sox, gave up two hits, one walk, struck out three and did not allow a runner past first base.