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David Wells wins on Old-Timers' Day

Atlanta Braves closer John Smoltz pitches against the New York Mets batter in Atlanta on Saturday. Smoltz earned his 100th career save as the Braves won 7-4. PHOTO: AP

Derek Jeter scored from first on Jason Giambi's three-run single, and the New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 7-4 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory.

Alfonso Soriano hit a leadoff homer and Raul Mondesi also connected for the Yankees, who got seven innings from David Wells on Old-Timers' Day. Mariano Rivera bailed out a shaky Armando Benitez to close it.

Jody Gerut and Milton Bradley hit consecutive home runs to give the Indians a 4-2 lead, but All-Star C.C. Sabathia couldn't hold it as Cleveland dropped its fourth in a row.

Wells (12-3) wasn't sharp, giving up four runs and eight hits, but his control kept him in it -- he did not walk a batter and has issued just six free passes in 134 innings this season.

Sabathia (8-5) allowed six runs and six hits in six innings, dropping to 1-6 with a 7.57 ERA in seven career starts against the Yankees.

Twins 9, Athletics 4

Doug Mientkiewicz hit a two-run homer and Matthew LeCroy added a three-run double in Minnesota's victory over Oakland.

Brad Radke (6-9) got his first win in 10 starts since May 16 and Dustan Mohr hit a two-run double for Minnesota, which improved to 7-1 against Oakland this season and won its third consecutive game.

Terrence Long hit a two-run homer and Ramon Hernandez also homered for the A's, who lost three straight for the first time since they dropped six in a row April 10-15.

Mark Mulder (12-7) gave up seven hits, five runs and two walks in six innings while striking out five. It was only the second time this season he allowed more than four runs, and the first time in seven starts he didn't last at least seven innings.

Lance Berkman, Richard Hidalgo and Morgan Ensberg hit consecutive home runs in the first inning, and the Houston Astros held on to beat the Cincinnati Reds for the ninth straight time, 9-8 on Saturday.

Berkman had two homers and five RBIs for the Astros, who have won four in a row and nine of their last 10.

"It's been an inconsistent year," said Berkman, who's hitting .282 with 19 homers. "Maybe one of these games will help kick it in."

Berkman hit a three-run shot off Jimmy Haynes (2-10), and Hidalgo followed with his third in less than 24 hours. Three pitches later, Ensberg made it three homers in a row.

"The only pitch I had control over was the split-finger, and that wasn't that good," Haynes said. "Everything just felt bad -- mechanics, body, arm. I was just tumbling my breaking balls."

The Reds, trailing 9-3, scored five runs with one out in the ninth. Sean Casey hit an RBI double and Ruben Mateo, 2-for-4 with three RBIs, had a run-scoring single off Kirk Saarloos. Octavio Dotel gave up a pinch-hit homer to Jason LaRue before getting two outs for his fourth save.

Ron Villone (2-0) allowed six hits and one run in six innings to improve to 5-0 in 14 career appearances against Cincinnati.

Braves 7, Mets 4

In Atlanta, Russ Ortiz earned his NL-leading 13th victory as Atlanta roughed up former teammate Tom Glavine again and beat New York.

Andruw Jones went 2-for-3 with a home run, Javy Lopez added two hits and Vinny Castilla drove in two runs for the Braves, who won for the 12th time in 13 games.

Ortiz (13-4) gave up three runs on four hits, struck out five and walked four for his sixth straight win. John Smoltz got the final out for his 35th save in 37 opportunities -- the 100th of his career. Glavine (6-10), facing the Braves for the fourth time this season, lasted only 4 1-3 innings and gave up seven runs on nine hits. He fell to 0-4 against Atlanta, and he's allowed 23 earned runs in those games.

Giants 5, Rockies 3

In San Francisco, Barry Bonds hit his 644th career home run and Yorvit Torrealba homered as San Francisco sent Colorado to its sixth straight road loss.

Bonds connected for his major league-leading 31st homer, driving a 2-1 pitch from Shawn Chacon (11-5) over the right-field wall for a tiebreaking solo shot to lead off the fourth.

Torrealba then led off the fifth with a solo homer, his second of the season. The NL West-leading Giants have won three straight and eight of 11.

Jason Schmidt (10-4) pitched five solid innings to win for the fifth time in his last six starts.

But he left in the sixth with tightness in his right forearm. The Giants said taking him out of the game was a precautionary measure and that he will be re-examined Sunday.

Cardinals 3, Dodgers 1

In Los Angeles, Dan Haren outdueled Kevin Brown for his first major league victory and Scott Rolen homered as St. Louis beat Los Angeles.

Haren (1-2) allowed a run and six hits, including a third-inning homer by Alex Cora, in his fourth career start.

Brown, who missed two turns in the rotation -- and the All-Star game -- because of a lower abdominal strain, allowed two runs and five hits over six innings after being activated from the disabled list.

One of the runs against him was unearned, the result of his errant pickoff throw to first base in the third.

Brown (10-5) lost his fourth straight start despite striking out six and walking none.

Rolen made it 3-1 in the seventh against Guillermo Mota with his 19th homer.
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