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Giles shines as Braves close in on title

Posted on: Sunday, 25 September 2005, 19:14 CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Powered by a two-run homer and three RBIs by Marcus Giles, the Atlanta Braves closed in on a 14th successive division title with a 5-3 win over the Florida Marlins in National League play Sunday at Turner Field.

Atlanta swept the three-game series with the Marlins and lead the NL East by five games over the Philadelphia Phillies with six games remaining with the magic number to clinch at two.

Florida took a 3-0 lead on an RBI single by Jeff Conine in the first and run-scoring doubles by Carlos Delgado and Mike Lowell in the third.

But the Braves rallied off A.J. Burnett and can clinch the division at home in a three-game series against Colorado starting Monday night.

"If I could pick any time for us to get hot, it would be right now," Giles said.

"I thought that all year we didn't want to peak too early. I think that's been our problem in the past, that we've peaked too early and then relaxed."

Jeff Francoeur's sacrifice fly in the fourth made it 3-1 and Giles hit his homer in the fifth before the Braves added a pair of runs in the seventh to complete the comeback.

Giles's sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout by Andruw Jones cashed in the other Atlanta runs.

THREE HITS

Brian McCann had three hits for the Braves, who had seven hits in the game, and Blaine Boyer (4-2) got one out in relief to get credit for the win.

"They seize the opening and jump on it," Florida manager Jack McKeon said.

The Braves used six pitchers, including Kyle Farnsworth, who pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

Burnett (12-12) allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits in six-plus innings, striking out eight and walking four.

Conine had three of the Marlins eight hits.

In Cincinnati, Cory Lidle pitched seven solid innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Reds 6-3.

Lidle (12-11) allowed three runs, with two earned, on eight hits, walking one and striking out four. Billy Wagner pitched one inning for his 36th save.

Randy Keisler (2-1) pitched five innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out five to take the loss. Edwin Encarnacion homered for the Reds.

TWO-RUN HOMER

n Chicago, Jeromy Burnitz hit a two-run homer to help the Cubs beat the Houston Astros 3-2, cutting the Astros lead in the NL wild card to one game over Philadelphia.

Jerome Williams (6-9) pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking six and striking out three for the win. Ryan Dempster pitched one inning for his 31st save. Derrek Lee homered for the Cubs.

Mike Gallo (0-1) allowed one run on one hit and walking two to take the loss.

In Denver, Randy Winn homered as the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 6-2.

In Los Angeles, Oscar Robles hit a two-run homer as the Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-2.

In Milwaukee, Jeff Suppan pitched eight strong innings as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Brewers 2-0.

In Washington, Mike Piazza hit two homers as the New York Mets beat the Nationals 6-5.

In Phoenix, Chad Tracy singled in the bottom of the 10th as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 4-3.

Jose Valverde (3-4) pitched one inning and striking out one for the win. Joe Randa hit a three-run homer for the Diamondbacks.

Akinori Otsuka (2-8) allowed one run on two hits, walking one to take the loss.

Source: REUTERS

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