ATLANTA — Carlos Beltran and the New York Mets just about put away the Braves with a three-game sweep in Atlanta.

Beltran hit two homers, including his third grand slam in July, and New York completed its first sweep of at least three games in Atlanta in 21 years by beating its longtime nemesis 10-6 yesterday.

With the loss, the Braves fell 15 games behind the first-place Mets in the NL East.

The Mets swept a four-game set in Atlanta from July 4-7, 1985. Their last sweep of any series there was a two-game set May 1-2, 1989.

"We came in here and did what we wanted to do, and then some," said Mets starting pitcher Tom Glavine, the former longtime Braves pitcher.

Beltran's second inning slam was the Mets' major league record-tying sixth of the month. The Montreal Expos hit six grand slams in April 1996 and Cleveland matched the record in May 1999. He is the ninth player to hit three slams in a month and the first since Milwaukee's Devon White in May 2001.

Beltran added another homer, his 32nd, off Jason Shiell in the fifth inning. He had four homers in the three-game series.

"I've seen enough of him for my career," said Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche of Beltran.

Beltran has eight homers and 18 RBIs in eight games against the Braves this season.

"Carlos has been unconscious," said Mets manager Willie Randolph. "He stepped up big-time for us.

Beltran is hitting .282 with 32 homers and an NL-leading 94 RBIs.

He had a big grin on his face after hitting the grand slam because he said he told Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes he would hit the homer.

"I was really happy I did it," Beltran said. "I feel good at the plate."

PHILLIES SWEEP

PHILADELPHIA — Chase Utley homered and extended his hitting streak to 31 games, and Ryan Howard hit his NL-leading 35th homer to help Philadelphia complete a doubleheader sweep over Florida, winning the opener 11-5, and taking the nightcap, 9-2. Utley extended the longest hitting streak in the major leagues this season with a sixth-inning RBI single.

DIAMONDBACKS 7, ASTROS 6

HOUSTON — Conor Jackson hit a go-ahead homer off Brad Lidge in the ninth inning and Arizona rallied after Roger Clemens left the game, beating the Astros. Clemens had a season-high nine strikeouts in seven sharp innings and left with a 5-1 lead. But Jeff DaVanon hit an RBI single and Eric Byrnes added a three-run homer off Chad Qualls in the eighth to tie it.

BREWERS 4, REDS 3

MILWAUKEE — Ben Sheets (2-3) allowed two runs in eight-plus innings and Kevin Mench drove in four runs to lead Milwaukee over Cincinnati.

CUBS 6, CARDINALS 3

CHICAGO — Carlos Zambrano outpitched Chris Carpenter to win his ninth straight decision as Chicago completed a four-game sweep of St. Louis. Zambrano (12-3) allowed five hits, five walks and two runs with five strikeouts in six innings. Carpenter (10-5) lasted just four innings and gave up all five of his runs in the first two innings.

ROCKIES 3, PADRES 1

DENVER — Matt Holliday homered to lead Colorado over San Diego. Holliday hit his team-leading 19th homer in the fourth inning and the Rockies made the most of their seven hits after going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position the night before in a 4-2 loss to the Padres.

DODGERS 4, NATIONALS 3

LOS ANGELES — Cesar Izturis doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Los Angeles beat Washington for a three-game sweep.

PIRATES 2, GIANTS 1

PITTSBURGH — Jose Hernandez's single in the 10th inning scored Jack Wilson as Pittsburgh completed a sweep of San Francisco. Hernandez's third hit was a line drive down the left-field line off Steve Kline (2-3) with Wilson on second base. Hernandez had struck out in the eighth in a similar situation and the Pirates down a run.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

YANKEES 4, DEVILS RAYS 2

NEW YORK — Johnny Damon hit a pair of home runs and Mike Mussina won his fifth straight decision, leading New York over Tampa Bay. Mussina (13-3) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.

ANGELS 10, RED SOX 4

BOSTON — Orlando Cabrera, Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Rivera hit third-inning homers to send Curt Schilling to his first loss at Fenway Park this year. Schilling (13-4) was charged with six runs and 10 hits in five innings, striking out five. He had been 8-0 with a 2.71 ERA at Fenway this year.

TWINS 6, TIGERS 4

MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run triple in Minnesota's six-run eighth inning as the Twins beat Detroit. Jeremy Bonderman's balk let the tying run score in the eighth and Luis Castillo drove in the go-ahead run with a groundout.

ORIOLES 8, WHITE SOX 7

BALTIMORE — Javy Lopez's bases-loaded single in the ninth inning off Bobby Jenks (2-3) capped a two-run comeback for Baltimore.

MARINERS 7, INDIANS 3

CLEVELAND — Jose Lopez and Raul Ibanez each had two-run singles with two outs in the ninth to help Seattle beat Cleveland.

RANGERS 15, ROYALS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — Michael Young had four hits and a home run, Mark DeRosa added four hits and four RBIs, and Texas beat Kansas City to snap a season-worst six-game losing streak.