Cubs take Central control

Clipper Jones hits a grand slam for the Braves

Click here for Wednesday's results

National League

Jon Lieber pitched a three-hitter and Joe Girardi drove in three runs as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Houston Astros 5-1 to move one-and-a-half games ahead in the NL Central.

After losing the series opener and dropping out of first place for the first time since 29 May, the Cubs rebounded to win the final two games of the series.

Cubs manager Don Baylor said: "This is how we've played all year. We've pitched well, and we've gotten our hits when we can, and they count most of the time."

Four games separate the top three teams in the division as the St Louis Cardinals continued their revival with an 8-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Mark McGwire singled to start the fifth inning, ending a run in which his last 11 hits had been homers since he singled off Houston's Roy Oswalt on 18 July.

Only three games separate first from third in the NL West race.

The third-placed LA Dodgers ended a five-match losing streak by crushing the Montreal Expos 13-1 to move back into contention.

Shawn Green hit three home runs and had a career-high seven RBIs in the win.

The San Francisco Giants remain one game off the lead after Vander Wal's two-out double in the ninth inning gave the Giants a 2-1 victory over the Florida Marlins for their fourth consecutive win.

Curt Schilling won his career-high 18th game as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 to stay one ahead in the division.

Chipper Jones hit a grand slam as the Atlanta Braves ended a six-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Colorado Rockies.

Ichicuro Suzuki starred for the Mariners

They are two games adrift of the Philadelphia Phillies, who defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 for a fifth successive win.

And the San Diego Padres defeated the NY Mets 2-1 after Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 300th career save.

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American League

Kenny Lofton hit a three-run homer as the Cleveland Indians handed the Minnesota Twins its sixth consecutive loss with an 8-2 win.

The Indians have opened up a season-high three-and-a-half-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central

Roger Clemens became the sixth pitcher since 1900 to open a season 16-1, allowing only four hits in seven innings to lead the New York Yankees to a 10-3 win over Tampa Bay.

He is also the first pitcher to open the season by winning 16 of 17 decisions since Dave McNally did it for Baltimore in 1969.

The Yankees moved five games ahead in the AL East as the Boston Red Sox's slump continued with a 6-3 reverse to the Seattle Mariners.

Edgar Martinez hit a three-run homer for the second consecutive game and Freddy Garcia allowed three hits in eight innings for the Mariners, who improve to 87-33, 10 games clear in the AL West.

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Wednesday's results:

American League

Baltimore Orioles 5-4 Kansas City Royals
Boston Red Sox 2-6 Seattle Mariners
Cleveland 8-2 Minnesota
Detroit 5-1 Anaheim
NY Yankees 10-3 Tampa Bay
Toronto 5-2 Oakland Athletics
Chicago White Sox 6-5 Texas Rangers

National League

Houston 1-5 Chicago Cubs
Milwaukee 6-8 Philadelphia Phillies
St Louis Cardinals 8-4 Cincinnati
Colorado 2-7 Atlanta
Arizona 5-2 Pittsburgh
San Diego 2-1 NY Mets
Los Angeles Dodgers 13-1 Montreal
San Francisco 2-1 Florida

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