Phils now 3 behind Mets

PHILADELPHIA — Ryan Howard hit his major league-leading 43rd homer and Jamie Moyer pitched 5 2/3 effective innings for Philadelphia in a 6-3 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday night.

The Phillies pulled within three games of the NL East-leading Mets and the wild card-leading Brewers by roughing up Ben Sheets (13-8).

Prince Fielder hit his first homer since Aug. 13, but slumping Milwaukee lost for the eighth time in 11 games.

Moyer (14-7) allowed three runs and four hits, improving to 7-1 in his last 13 starts. He was pitching on three days' rest for the first time since 2004.

He left after Fielder's two-run shot made it 4-3. Ryan Madson pitched two innings, Chad Durbin retired the only batter he faced with two on in the eighth and Brad Lidge finished for his 36th save in as many chances.

Sheets, who entered with a 20-inning scoreless streak, allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings.

Howard connected in the first to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead.

CUBS 3, CARDINALS 2: At St. Louis, Rich Harden worked six solid innings and Kerry Wood got Albert Pujols to pop up with two men on for the final out in a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee and Mike Fontenot had RBIs for the Cubs, who lead Milwaukee in the NL Central by 5 1/2 games with 16 to play after taking two of three with two one-run decisions. The Cardinals remained 4 1/2 games behind the Brewers for the NL wild card.

PADRES 11, GIANTS 3: At San Diego, Adrian Gonzalez homered twice and drove in four runs to set career highs with 31 homers and 103 RBIs, leading the San Diego Padres to victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Gonzalez, San Diego's only All-Star this season, joined Fred McGriff (1991-92) and Phil Nevin (2000-01) as the only players in Padres history with consecutive seasons with 30 homers and 100 RBIs.

ASTROS 6, PIRATES 0: At Houston, Roy Oswalt threw a three-hitter for his second straight complete-game shutout and set a Houston record for consecutive scoreless innings.

Houston has won 14 of 15 to pull within three games of NL wild card-leading Milwaukee, which lost 6-3 at Philadelphia, but it's uncertain when the Astros will play again. The first two games of their weekend series against Chicago were postponed and Sunday's matchup could be next with Hurricane Ike closing in on Texas.