Randy Winn

Barry Bonds, the Sultan of Surly, didn't get closer to Babe Ruth's magical 714-homer total last night. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley did. Granted, Howard and Utley aren't anywhere near the Bambino, but they each hit two majestic home runs that would have made Bonds proud. Howard drilled two homers in a game for the second time in his young career. Utley did it for the eighth time - and third time this year. Together, they carried the Phillies to their sixth straight victory, an 8-3 triumph over Bonds' San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park.

Astros manager Phil Garner has his own magic number, and Houston moved toward it yesterday. Wandy Rodriguez pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings, and Lance Berkman put Houston ahead to stay with a two-run, first-inning double in a 6-1 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers that extended the Astros' winning streak to five. Combined with the Phillies' loss in Florida, the Astros lead the wild-card race by 1 1/2 games. "This was a big win for us," Garner said. "But our goal is to get 15 games over .500 and then assess where we are. " Garner wouldn't say what was magical about 15 games over.

Andy Pettitte followed his heart back home to Houston, making a "gut-wrenching" decision yesterday to leave the New York Yankees and accept a $31.5 million, three-year contract with the Astros. New York wasted little time finding a replacement, agreeing to the outline of a tentative trade with Los Angeles that would send Kevin Brown to New York for Jeff Weaver, the Associated Press reported. The Yankees would send Los Angeles two minor-leaguers and $3 million to cover part of the $18.75 million Weaver is owed in 2004 and 2005, the Associated Press said.