Pirates" Run of Losing Seasons Hits 20 The Pittsburgh Pirates ensured they would finish with a record 20th straight losing season Sunday when they blew a ninth-inning lead in a 4-3 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds. Pinch-hitter Xavier Paul led off the ninth with a home run off Joel Hanrahan, and Zack Cozart had a go-head double for visiting Cincinnati, which clinched home-field advantage in the National League division series. They are competing with Washington for best overall record in the league. The Pirates extended their major North American professional sports record. Pittsburgh was 16 games over .500 on Aug. 6 but has lost 18 of 23. CARDINALS 10, NATIONALS 4 Visiting Washington, already assured of the city's first postseason baseball since 1933, saw its magic number for clinching the N.L. East remain at one over second-place Atlanta. DODGERS 7, ROCKIES 1 Josh Beckett earned his first victory in his last five starts, and host Los Angeles remained two games behind St. Louis for the second N.L. wild card. ASTROS 7, BREWERS 0 Houston eliminated Milwaukee from wild-card playoff contention. The Brewers, who reached the N.L. championship series last year, had surged since mid-August to get back into the postseason race. But the last-place Astros won two of three at Miller Park to finish off Milwaukee. The Brewers are 27-12 since being 12 games under .500 on Aug. 19. PHILLIES 4, MARLINS 1 Cole Hamels struck out eight while allowing five hits and one run over seven innings, and Carlos Ruiz had a three-hit game for visiting Philadelphia. RAYS 6, WHITE SOX 2 David Price became the Rays" first 20-game winner, and visiting Tampa Bay stayed afloat in the American League wild-card race. Tampa Bay, which remained three games behind Oakland for the second wild card, won for the 10th time in 11 games. The White Sox must sweep three games at Cleveland and have Detroit lose three at Kansas City, which would force a one-game tiebreaker. ATHLETICS 5, MARINERS 2 Yoenis Cespedes hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning to move host Oakland to two games behind Texas in the A.L. West. INDIANS 15, ROYALS 3 Asdrubal Cabrera capped a 10-run fifth inning with a grand slam, and host Cleveland routed Kansas City, improving to 2-1 with the interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr.