NEW YORK, 1 September 2004 — Greg Maddux tossed seven innings of shutout ball and helped his own cause with a pair of singles as the Chicago Cubs downed the Expos 5-2 in National League action in Montreal on Monday.

Maddux (13-8), who scattered five hits while striking out two, won for the 302nd time against just 171 losses. He scored the Cubs’ second run, part of a four-run third that was highlighted by Sammy Sosa’s two run-double, then knocked in the fifth and final Chicago run the next inning.

Terrmel Sledge homered off Cubs reliever Jon Leicester with a man aboard in the ninth to account for both Montreal runs.

Sledge had three hits on the night to top both teams. LaTroy Hawkins retired the final Montreal batter for his 20th save. Rocky Biddle (4-8) took the loss, though only two of the five Cubs runs were charged to him.

In Atlanta, Julio Franco’s ninth-inning triple plated the tying run and then Andruw Jones singled to bring home the game-winner as the Braves rallied to edge the San Francisco Giants 7-6. J.D. Drew homered in the third with two men aboard to give the Braves the early lead. Michael Tucker drove in the first four San Francisco runs. Dustin Hermanson (5-6) took the loss after being charged with both late runs.

In New York, Damion Easley’s two-run, seventh-inning homer helped the Florida Marlins a 6-4 win over the reeling Mets, losers of eight of their past nine. The defending champion Marlins have won four straight.

The Mets got homers from Mike Piazza, David Wright and Jason Phillips, all served up by Dontrelle Willis.

In Cincinnati, Lance Berkman cracked two solo homers and doubled to plate two more runs to carry the red hot Houston Astros to an easy 11-3 win over the Reds. Brad Ausmus added a three-run homer for the Astros, who won for the seventh time in their past eight games.

In Milwaukee, Daryle Ward homered with a man aboard in the first and then added a second blast with two on in the seventh to carry the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-1 win over the Brewers, who dropped their 12th straight game.

Monroe Drives in Five Runs as Tigers Rout Royals

Craig Monroe homered twice to plate five runs and carry the Detroit Tigers to a 9-1 road win over the Kansas City Royals in the only scheduled American League game on Monday.

Monroe took losing pitcher Mike Wood (2-7) deep both times, Wood serving up a third homer to veteran catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who scored his 1,000th career run.

Nate Robertson (12-7) pitched his first complete game for Detroit, scattering six hits while striking out seven. Calvin Pickering homered in the fifth to account for Kansas City’s only run.

Both teams had been riding four-game losing streaks coming into the contest.

Borchard’s Blast Helps White Sox Edge Phillies

Joe Borchard cracked the longest home run in the history of Chicago’s US Cellular Field to help the White Sox defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-8 in an Interleague game on Monday.

Despite Borchard’s 504-foot blast in the second inning, Aaron Rowand’s two-run shot in the eighth plated the deciding runs for Chicago.

The Phillies rallied in the ninth on a Jim Thome drive to draw to within one but were unable to tie the game.

Roberto Hernandez (2-5), the second of four Philadelphia pitchers, took the loss, with the win going to Chicago starter Mark Buehrle (12-8). Rained out on June 10, the make-up game completed Interleague action for this season with the American League coming out on top by a narrow 127-125 margin.

New York Mets Activate Piazza

In Flushing Meadows, the New York Mets, badly in need of a boost in confidence, will have Mike Piazza, the all-time home run leader among catchers, back in their lineup. They activated Piazza, who now shares time at first base and catching, on Monday after he had been on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Aug. 7 with soreness in his left knee.

Piazza, 35, originally suffered the injury on Memorial Day in Philadelphia while playing first base, colliding with the railing while catching a foul pop.

He continued to play through the injury, but he missed several games because of a wrist injury he suffered against the Montreal Expos on July 21.

On top of the injuries, Piazza endured a prolonged slump in which he managed just seven hits in 49 at-bats since the All-Star break. When he was placed on the DL he was hitting .276 with 17 homers and 44 RBI in 100 games this season.