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 the Atlanta Braves to a 4-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

A day after blowing his second save of the season, John Smoltz pitched a perfect ninth in a non-save situation.

Dodgers 3, Astros 1

LOS ANGELES – Wilson Alvarez outpitched Roger Clemens, and Paul Lo Duca hit a three-run homer to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.

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.

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 Florida Marlins beat the New York Mets 5-2 Saturday night.

Brad Penny (8-7) shut out New York for six innings but ran into trouble in the seventh. Howard retired Cliff Floyd and Richard Hidalgo with the bases loaded to end the threat and preserve a 4-2 lead.

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 to help the Montreal Expos beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 Saturday night.

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.

Brewers 5, Reds 0

MILWAUKEE – Ben Sheets threw eight shutout innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-0 victory Saturday night over the Cincinnati Reds, who lost Ken Griffey Jr. to a strained right hamstring.

Sheets (9-5), headed to his second All-Star game, allowed five hits – all singles – and struck out eight and walked one to win his third consecutive start.

He lowered his NL-leading ERA to 2.26.

Rockies 6, Padres 2

SAN DIEGO – Aaron Cook took a shutout into the seventh inning and Jeromy Burnitz and Todd Greene each hit solo homers, helping the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 6-2 for their third straight.