National League

Sammy Sosa hit his 60th homer of the season but could not prevent the Chicago Cubs slipping to a 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

Sosa, who hit 66 homers in 1998 and 63 in 1999, becomes the first player to score 60 home runs in three different seasons.

But the Cub's defeat means they now have no chance of clinching the National League wild card.

The San Francisco Giants beat the Houston Astros 4-1 but Barry Bonds failed to score the homer he needs to equal Mark McGwire's record of 70, which he set in 1998.

Bonds now has five games to equal and then surpass McGwire's mark.

Rookie record

In Milwaukee, the Brewers lost 5-1 to the St Louis Cardinals.

Albert Pujols broke the NL rookie record for total bases. A single in the top of the sixth innings took him past Dick Allen's total of 352 set in 1964.

In Atlanta, left-hander Randy Wolf combined with closer Jose Mesa to restrict the NL East leading Atlanta Braves to just three hits and help the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-1 victory.

The New York Mets play-off hopes ended with a 10-1 thrashing by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 10-1 to remain two games clear of San Francisco in the NL West with five games remaining.

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 but the Diamondbacks win over the Rockies has ended their play-off hopes.

In Miami, the Florida Marlins beat the Montreal Expos 4-3.

American League

The Seattle Mariners thrashed Anaheim Angels 14-5 to move within two victories of the 1998 New York Yankees' record for wins in a season.

Meanwhile in Oakland, the AL wild-card winning Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 9-4.

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