Beltre’s slam helps Dodgers open three-game lead

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 | 7:31 a.m.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are closing in on their first playoff berth in eight years, and they're not about to leave their chances to fate.

"It's not meant to be," Adrian Beltre said. "You have to earn it."

He and the Dodgers are doing just that.

Beltre hit a grand slam, Milton Bradley singled home the winning run in the ninth inning and Los Angeles edged the visiting Colorado Rockies 8-7 Monday night, increasing its NL West lead to three games over idle San Francisco with six remaining.

The Dodgers have not reached the postseason since 1996, one year after winning their last division title. They haven't even won a playoff game since '88, when they upset Oakland in the World Series.

But they've been a charmed team this season, rallying for 50 comeback victories and winning 23 times in their final at-bat.

"If you're going to do things like that you have to have step-up, clutch performances," manager Jim Tracy said.

Nobody has been more clutch than Beltre, who hit his third slam of the season. He leads the major leagues with 48 home runs, tying Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt's record for third basemen set in 1980 with Philadelphia.

"He's never been a guy who could really carry a team on his back or change the complexion of a game until this year," Rockies starter Shawn Estes said. "In the past, if you made a good pitch, you could make him hit a groundball or pop it up to the infield or something. But he's locked in this year."

In other NL games, it was: Chicago 12, Cincinnati 5; Houston 10, St. Louis 3; Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 1; Florida 4, Montreal 1; and Arizona 3, Milwaukee 1. New York's game at Atlanta was postponed by rain and will be made up Tuesday as part of a doubleheader.

Los Angeles came back after trailing 7-5 in the eighth. Yhency Brazoban (4-1) earned the win by retiring one batter, Vinny Castilla. The Dodgers used seven pitchers.

"That's usually the way those storied seasons go," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "That's a reshuffled bullpen they have and they no-hit us the last five innings. They're doing the things you need to do to put you in the postseason."

Steve Reed (3-8) gave up one-out singles to Jayson Werth and Steve Finley in the ninth, putting runners at the corners. Beltre was intentionally walked and the Rockies pulled their infield in, but Bradley slapped a hard grounder past second baseman Aaron Miles to score Werth.

Castilla and Brad Hawpe homered for the Rockies. Todd Helton went 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

Cubs 12, Reds 5

At Chicago, Todd Walker homered and drove in four runs, Carlos Zambrano (16-8) won his fourth straight decision and the Cubs extended their wild-card lead to one game over San Francisco.

Corey Patterson, Derrek Lee and Jose Macias also connected, and Nomar Garciaparra was 3-for-3 with a walk and a pair of RBIs. Adam Dunn hit his 43rd homer for Cincinnati.

Astros 10, Cardinals 3

At Houston, Roy Oswalt (19-10) became the NL's first 19-game winner, and the Astros remained 1 1/2 games behind Chicago in the wild-card chase.

Pinch-hitter Jason Lane homered and Craig Biggio hit a two-run double. Carlos Beltran added a two-run triple, and Morgan Ensberg had a two-run double.

The NL Central-champion Cardinals had their five-game winning streak stopped. Second baseman Tony Womack left in the seventh after being hit on the left hand by a pitch from Oswalt. X-rays were negative. Woody Williams (11-8) gave up eight runs and 10 hits in three innings.

Diamondbacks 3, Brewers 1

At Phoenix, Randy Johnson struck out 10 in seven innings and Arizona snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Ben Sheets (11-14).

Johnson (15-14) walked one in his 13th double-digit strikeout game of the season and 204th of his career - 11 shy of Nolan Ryan's major league record. The Big Unit allowed one run and six hits.

Pirates 6, Phillies 1

At Philadelphia, Ty Wigginton hit a two-run homer, and Oliver Perez (11-10) pitched 6 2-3 strong innings, eliminating the Phillies from postseason contention. Eric Milton (14-5) fell to 3-3 with nine no-decisions since the All-Star break.

Marlins 4, Expos 1

At Montreal, Josh Beckett (8-9) pitched seven sharp innings, and Miguel Cabrera hit his 31st homer for Florida. The Marlins, eliminated from playoff contention one day earlier, ended a season-high six-game losing streak.

Only 3,923 fans showed up for the opener of what is likely the Expos' final series in Montreal. The team is expected to be relocated, likely to Washington, D.C., for the 2005 season.

Armando Benitez got his 45th save in 49 opportunities.