Austin Kearns needed two innings to break out of a five-game slump.

The Cincinnati right fielder hit three-run homers in consecutive innings and set a career high with six RBI, leading the Reds to a 17-3 home victory over Arizona Friday night.

Kearns was 1-for-18 in his last five games before breaking out in a breakout game for the Reds, who scored six runs in the third inning and 10 in the fourth.

"I didn't see this coming," Kearns said. "I don't know. The first couple of innings, nothing was really happening, and then it was just like it opened up."

The Reds had a season high for runs in a game and an inning, and it came the night after they had five hits in a 4-2 win over San Francisco.

"I think winning that ballgame with only five hits gave the guys confidence to go out and swing the bats," interim manager Jerry Narron said.

At Denver, Mark Prior (9-4) allowed two runs and five hits and struck out 10 in six innings to help Chicago win its third straight.Kerry Wood pitched a scoreless eighth and Ryan Dempster worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save. Todd Walker homered for the Cubs.

At New York, Jae Seo (5-1) allowed four hits in eight innings, Victor Diaz drove in the only run in the seventh inning and New York improved to a major league-best 17-4 in series openers at home.

At Atlanta, Joe Randa and Mark Sweeney hit three-runs homers and San Diego matched its season high with 20 hits in improving to 4-0 this season against Atlanta.The Padres moved within a game of .500 (60-61) and pushed their lead in the NL West to four games over Arizona.

At Miami, A.J. Burnett (12-6) won his seventh straight start and combined with Todd Jones on Florida's third consecutive shutout and major league-leading 15th of the season.

At Houston, pinch-hitter Jose Vizcaino tied the game with a single in the seventh and Houston added two more runs in the inning on a wild pitch and an error.The Astros snapped a three-game losing streak and moved a half-game ahead of Philadelphia and Florida in the NL wild-card race.

At. St. Louis, Jim Edmonds' two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth capped the five-run rally that got 17-game winner Chris Carpenter a no-decision and kept his nine-game winning streak alive.BC-BBA--AL Rdp, Bjt,0902Royals' skid reaches 19

In Oakland, Kansas City dropped its 19th straight game, moving within two defeats of the American League record, and Jay Payton homered to help the Athletics snap a four-game skid.

At Anaheim, Calif., Manny Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run on a groundout with the bases loaded in the 10th, leading Boston over Los Angeles in a matchup of AL division leaders.

At Chicago, Mike Mussina (12-7) allowed five singles in seven innings and New York sent the White Sox to their season-worst sixth straight loss.

At Minneapolis, Lew Ford hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh, Carlos Silva (8-6) won for the first time since July 4 and surging Minnesota rallied for its sixth straight victory.

At Cleveland, Ben Broussard homered leading off the 10th against Steve Kline (2-4) and the Indians kept pace in the wild-card chase.

At St. Petersburg, Fla., Seth McClung (4-7) allowed three hits in seven innings and Tampa Bay improved to 21-12 since the All-Star break.

At Detroit, Carlos Pena hit two long homers and drove in three runs in his first game back from the minors.