Both Benito Santiago and Jose Cruz Jr. hit three-run homers and drove in three runs as the San Francisco Giants won their sixth straight game, beating the Atlanta Braves 9-2.
The Giants pulled away from a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning Friday night to win a matchup of the teams with the NL's best records. It was the first time the clubs have met since San Francisco beat the Braves in the first round of last year's playoffs.
PHOTO: AFP
Rookie Jesse Foppert (2-2) made his fifth major league start, giving up two runs and five hits in six innings. Greg Maddux (3-4) gave up five hits and three runs in seven innings.
The Atlanta runs came on homers by Chipper Jones and Marcus Giles.
Dodgers 9, Expos 5
In Montreal, Fred McGriff hit his 482nd career homer in the eighth inning after Los Angeles' dominant bullpen blew a four-run lead.
McGriff, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, broke a 5-5 tie with his fourth homer of the season, off Scott Stewart (2-1). Guillermo Mota (2-1) got the win despite allowing Brad Wilkerson's tying, two-run single in the seventh.
Los Angeles relievers had allowed just six earned runs for a 0.76 ERA in 71 1-3 innings when left-hander Tom Martin relieved Kevin Brown to begin the seventh inning. But Martin failed to retire any of the four batters he faced as the Expos erased a 5-1 deficit.
Reds 7, Brewers 6, 10 innings
In Cincinnati, Jose Guillen hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Cincinnati a season-high five-game winning streak.
Guillen's homer off Luis Vizcaino (0-2) gave the Reds their 10th victory in their last at-bat. Three of the wins in the streak have come on game-ending homers.
Mike Ginter had a pinch-hit RBI double off Brian Reith (1-0) to put the Brewers ahead in the 10th. Guillen threw out a runner at the plate from right field to keep it a one-run game.
Austin Kearns had a three-run homer and an RBI double for the Reds.
Padres 5, Mets 4
In New York, Xavier Nady hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning and threw out a runner to thwart a Mets' rally attempt as San Diego stopped a five-game losing streak.
Nady's home run off David Weathers (1-2) followed a leadoff single by Mark Kotsay and gave San Diego a 5-3 lead. Rondell White doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Padres, who had lost 10 of 11.
Luther Hackman (1-0) got the win despite allowing the Mets to tie it in the seventh, a run charged to starter Mike Bynum.
Marlins 5, Rockies 4
In Miami, Juan Encarnacion homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, allowing Florida to snap a six-game losing streak.
Encarnacion connected off Justin Speier (2-1) for his fifth homer of the season and his third RBI of the night. It handed the Rockies a fifth consecutive loss and their eighth in nine games.
Braden Looper (3-1) pitched a perfect ninth for the Marlins.
The loss spoiled the a homecoming for former Marlins stars Preston Wilson and Charles Johnson. The combined for four hits -- including a homer by Wilson -- and scored three times in their first game in Florida since being traded from the Marlins to the Rockies in November.
Phillies 5, Astros 3
In Philadelphia, Jim Thome and Mike Lieberthal homered to back Brett Myers as Philadelphia stopped Houston's seven-game winning streak.
Myers (3-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings. He struck six and walked three. He retired 14 straight Houston batters at one point.
Roy Oswalt (2-4) dropped his third straight decision. He went six innings, giving up three runs and six hits.
Cardinals 6, Cubs 3
In Chicago, Fernando Vina hit his third career grand slam, and J.D. Drew had a solo homer as St. Louis ended a four-game losing streak.
Corey Patterson and Moises Alou homered for the Cubs.
Matt Morris (4-2) allowed three runs and 10 hits in eight innings and struck out nine to improve his record against the Cubs to 8-2. Jeff Fassero pitched the ninth against his old team to earn his first save in two chances.
Carlos Zambrano (3-3) gave up six runs and eight hits in 7 1-3 innings.
Diamondbacks 5, Pirates 0
In Pittsburgh, Curt Schilling limited slumping Pittsburgh to four singles in his first shutout in more than a year for Arizona.
Rod Barajas drove in Arizona's first two runs and Junior Spivey hit a three-run homer off Jeff D'Amico (2-4) as the Pirates lost their seventh straight -- matching their longest losing streak in two seasons.
Retiring 16 of the first 17 batters, Schilling (2-2) struck out 10 and walked none in by far his most effective start of the season. The shutout was Schilling's 18th and his first since beating Milwaukee on April 7, 2002.
American league
Jim Parque didn't allow a hit until the seventh inning in his first start off the disabled list, and Travis Lee homered as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0.
John Rocker made his debut for Tampa Bay Friday night, walking both batters he faced in the eighth inning. He received a loud ovation from the Tropicana Field crowd when introduced and there were some boos when he was replaced by Lance Carter.
Rocker had 38 saves in 1999, helping the Atlanta Braves reach the World Series. After that season, he made disparaging remarks about gays, minorities and others in a Sports Illustrated article.
Parque (1-1), who beat Adam Bernero (0-5), lost his no-hit bid when Dean Palmer singled to start the seventh. Parque allowed just one hit in six-plus innings for his first win since Aug. 8.
Orioles 15, Royals 5; Orioles 5, Royals 4
In Kansas City, Missouri, Jay Gibbons hit a two-run homer, and Sidney Ponson pitched seven strong innings in the second game as Baltimore completed a doubleheader sweep.
Gibbons had four hits in the opener and Tony Batista homered and matched his career high with five RBIs as the Orioles ended a four-game losing streak. Gibbons was 5-for-9 with four RBIs and three runs scored in the doubleheader.
Ponson (4-2) gave up two runs -- one earned -- and six hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out six. Jorge Julio pitched the ninth for his ninth save. Runelvys Hernandez (4-2) took the loss.
Kansas City, which opened the season 11-0 at home, has lost four straight at Kauffman Stadium. The four-game losing streak is a season high for the Royals.
Baltimore had a season-high 17 hits in the opener. Every starter had at least one hit to back Rick Helling (2-3), who pitched seven innings. Miguel Asencio (2-1) allowed eight runs in six innings.
Twins 5, Red Sox 0
In Minneapolis, Todd Sears hit his first career homer and drove in four runs as Minnesota roughed up Pedro Martinez and won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Jacque Jones went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in support of Johan Santana, who started because Rick Reed has a strained back.
Santana (2-0) pitches five scoreless innings to best Martinez (3-2). He allowed all five runs and eight hits in five innings.
Indians 9, Rangers 5
In Arlington, Texas, Omar Vizquel had four hits and Matt Lawton the only home run in a game in which Texas' Rafael Palmeiro was trying to join the 500-homer club.
Palmeiro was 2-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and two walks. He hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning. Palmeiro moved into 25th place on the career RBIs list with 1,597, passing Mike Schmidt and George Brett.
Jake Westbrook (2-2) gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 2-3 innings. He beat John Thomson (2-4).
Mariners 6, White Sox 3
In Seattle, Ryan Franklin pitched 7 1-3 strong innings, and Carlos Guillen tripled twice for Seattle.
The Mariners bounced back after losing 16-5 to the New York Yankees on Thursday night, the most runs ever scored by a Seattle opponent at Safeco Field.
Franklin (3-2) beat the White Sox for the second time in eight days despite giving up a two-run homer to Jose Valentin on his fourth pitch of the game.
Franklin allowed three runs on nine hits. Jeff Nelson pitched the ninth for his third save in five opportunities.
Dan Wright (0-1), a 14-game winner for Chicago last season, made his season debut after a bout with a bad elbow and lasted 4 1-3 innings.
Angels 6, Blue Jays 1
In Anaheim, California, Aaron Sele became the second Anaheim starter in two games to come off the disabled list and win.
Shawn Wooten hit a two-run homer and Adam Kennedy and Tim Salmon each drove in a pair of seventh-inning runs for the Angels, who have won four straight since being swept last weekend in Toronto. Sele (1-0) allowed just two hits and one run over 5 2-3 innings in his first start since having surgery Oct. 18 to repair his right rotator cuff. On Thursday night, Kevin Appier made a successful returned from a strained forearm.
Doug Davis (1-1) allowed four runs -- three earned -- and just two hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Athletics 7, Yankees 2
In Oakland, California, Terrence Long's inside-the-park homer capped a five-run eighth inning to lead Tim Hudson and the Athletics over New York.
The defending AL West champion A's took two of three games last week at Yankee Stadium and have won 11 of 14 to improve to a season-best nine games over .500.
Oakland spoiled a solid outing by Yankees starter Jeff Weaver (2-2), who allowed two runs in seven innings before falling apart in the eighth.
Hudson (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings to beat the Yankees for the first time in six regular-season starts.
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