National League
The Dodgers still aren't totally sure what to make of Hideo Nomo. And to be certain, pitching him against the Arizona Diamondbacks isn't the best way to get definitive answers.
PHOTO: EPA
Arizona clearly has established itself as the worst team in the National League, so the Diamondbacks can't be considered a good measuring stick. But even for what it was, Nomo's start Tuesday night had to be seen as another positive step in his quest to permanently rejoin the starting rotation.
Nomo, making his second start after being shut down for two months because of shoulder weakness, threw six solid innings and earned his first victory since April 21 as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 8-2 in front of 35,078 at Dodger Stadium.
Robin Ventura hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh to break open what was a two-run game, and the victory, coupled with San Francisco's loss, boosted the Dodgers' lead in the NL West to 4 1/2 games.
Besides a major defensive gaffe behind him in Arizona's two-run fifth, Nomo (4-11) looked sharp and consistently threw strikes. Nomo left after allowing a leadoff walk in the sixth and allowed the two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out six to break a winless streak of 11 starts.
The Dodgers' rotation remains unsettled, as Jeff Weaver is the only pitcher they can count on for consistent success, so Nomo's continued success would be a huge positive. But even manager Jim Tracy admitted before the game that he wasn't sure what to expect from Nomo.
For the most part, Nomo provided reassurance. His fastball, boosted by Nomo's full-time move to pitching from the stretch, was consistently clocked in the mid-to-high 80mph range, and he generally kept hitters off balance with his split-finger.
The Dodgers opened the scoring in the third, with some significant help.
Cesar Izturis led off against pitcher Brandon Webb with a flyball to the right-field corner. Arizona's Danny Bautista ran over and reached for the ball just a couple of steps from the wall. The ball bounced off the heel of his glove, and Izturis slid safely into third and was awarded a triple.
Webb got Steve Finley to fly out and struck out Milton Bradley, and then Beltre chopped a ball to the left side. Instead of letting the ball go through for a likely ground out to third, Webb dove for the ball and stopped it, but couldn't get off a throw, and Izturis scored easily on the infield single.
In the fourth, Jayson Werth led off with a walk and moved to second on Cora's groundout. Brent Mayne then singled up the middle and Werth scored, aided when center fielder Luis Terrero overthrew home plate by at least 50 feet and hit the top part of the productive screen in front of the seats.
Arizona finally got to Nomo in the fifth, but they had help. Josh Kroeger led off with a sharp single to right, which then went under Bradley's glove for a two-base error that put Kroeger on third. Chris Snyder followed by lining the next pitch into left field to pull the Diamondbacks within one.
After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Alex Cintron blooped a single to center to tie the game.
The Dodgers answered in the bottom of the fifth, as Finley and Bradley led off with walks. With one out and both runners going, Shawn Green singled to center to score Finley. Werth followed with a bouncer to third and Bradley, running on contact, beat the throw to the plate for a 4-2 lead.
Webb (6-15) lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on six hits, walked three and struck out five.
Ventura provided the big blow in the seventh off reliever Chad Durbin. With one out, Green singled, Werth reached on an infield error and Cora walked, and Ventura hit his third pinch-hit homer of the season and 18th career grand slam, tying him with Willie McCovey for third on baseball's all-time list.
MARLINS 7, METS 3
Playing for the first time in five days following Hurricane Frances, the Florida Marlins picked up right where they left off.
A.J. Burnett (6-6) allowed two hits in 6 1-3 innings, Miguel Cabrera hit a tape-measure homer and the Marlins extended their longest winning streak since 1997 to eight games by beating the New York Mets 7-3 Tuesday night.
"It's a blast," Burnett said. "Hopefully we'll take 15 in a row."
New York allowed two unearned runs, totaled three hits and lost its 10th game in a row.
Frances washed out a big weekend series against the Cubs and left the Marlins with 30 games to play in the final 27 days of the regular season. But the layoff didn't cool them off.
"I don't want to go home. After Oct. 28 I'll go home," Cabrera said. "It's like we played last year. We're playing as a team. Now nobody can stop us."
Florida built a 5-0 lead against Tom Glavine (9-12), who lasted just five innings.
Pirates 2, Brewers 0
In Pittsburgh, Dave Williams pitched 6 1-3 shutout innings for his first victory in nearly three full seasons and Jason Bay homered as Pittsburgh blanked Milwaukee.
The Pirates ended a five-game losing streak with only their sixth victory in 21 games. The Brewers lost their ninth in 10 road games, and are 1-5 in Pittsburgh this season.
Williams (1-1), making only his second start since May 27, 2002, pitched out of a two-on, two-out jam in the first, then allowed only one more hit -- Craig Counsell's single in the fifth. Williams hadn't won in five decisions as a starter since beating the Brewers 3-2 in Milwaukee on April 17, 2002, and is 6-13 in 37 career appearances, including 29 starts.
Jose Mesa pitched the ninth for his 37th save in 42 opportunities.
Ben Sheets (10-11) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings.
Astros 9, Reds 7
In Houston, Roy Oswalt became the National League's first 17-game winner as Houston extended its winning streak to 11 games with a victory over Cincinnati.
Oswalt (17-9) gave up four runs on six hits in 7 2-3 innings, improving to 9-1 in his last 11 starts. He struck out nine and walked three.
Mike Lamb homered and drove in four runs and Carlos Beltran hit a two-run shot for the Astros, who are on the second-longest winning streak in club history. The team record is 12 straight from Sept. 3-14, 1999.
The Astros have won 14 of their last 15, and 19 of their last 22 in improving to 31-19 since the All-Star break. They entered the night just 1 1/2 games behind Chicago in the NL wild-card race.
Beltran left in the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch from Aaron Myette. The team said he bruised his right elbow and is day to day.
Sean Casey homered twice and Jason LaRue added a three-run shot for the Reds.
Paul Wilson (9-6) lost his third straight decision, allowing seven runs and seven hits in five innings.
Rockies 8, Giants 7
In Denver, Jeromy Burnitz hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning to overshadow Barry Bonds' 698th homer and lift Colorado over San Francisco.
Colorado took a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning on Mark Sweeney's grand slam, only to give it back on Ray Durham's two-run double off Tim Harikkala (6-3) in the eighth.
Burnitz followed with a two-run homer in the bottom half off Jason Christiansen (4-3), giving Colorado its fifth win in six games.
Shawn Chacon gave up Deivi Cruz's RBI single and loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but struck out Marquis Grissom for his 33rd save.
Michael Tucker also homered for San Francisco, which failed to make up ground on the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card race.
Bonds' fly toward left in the third inning didn't appear to have enough on it to clear the wall, but it bounced off left fielder Matt Holliday's glove and landed in the stands for a two-run homer that put the Giants up 3-2.
Giants starter Jason Schmidt allowed six runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Expos 7, Cubs 6, 12 innings
In Chicago, Brian Schneider hit a go-ahead single in the 12th inning as Montreal beat Chicago.
Chicago is a half-game ahead of San Francisco and Houston in the NL wild-card race.
Juan Rivera beat out an infield single to start the 12th against Todd Wellemeyer (1-1), the Cubs' eighth pitcher, and advanced on pinch-hitter Henry Mateo's sacrifice.
Schneider hit a hard single to center on a 2-2 pitch to give the Expos the lead, and Jamey Carroll added a sacrifice fly.
Chad Cordero (5-3) got the victory with two innings of scoreless relief. Joe Horgan pitched the 12th and gave up Corey Patterson's second homer of the game with one out before finishing for his second save in three chances.
Cardinals 4, Padres 2
In San Diego, pinch-hitter Roger Cedeno's go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth inning helped St. Louis beat San Diego for its 10th win in 11 games.
Rick Ankiel, whose once-promising career was derailed by wild pitches and elbow surgery, made his first appearance for the Cardinals in more than three years. He allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief for Jeff Suppan (15-6).
The Padres lost for the sixth time in eight games. They remained 2{ games behind Chicago in the NL wild-card race.
Edgar Renteria and John Mabry singled off Jake Peavy (11-5) to open the sixth, and scored when Cedeno, pinch-hitting for Suppan, doubled to the right-field wall.
Jason Isringhausen pitched the ninth for his 40th save in 46 chances, tying Florida's Armando Benitez for the NL lead.
National League
Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui each hit two-run doubles, and Jon Lieber struck out a season-high nine to lead the New York Yankees past the slumping Tampa Bay Devil Rays 11-2 on Tuesday night.
Gary Sheffield had four hits and Bernie Williams homered for the Yankees, who won their third in a row.
Rocco Baldelli hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Tampa Bay, which lost its ninth straight.
New York leadoff hitter Derek Jeter had three of the Yankees' 16 hits, including a two-run single. Rodriguez, moved up to the No. 2 spot Monday for the first time since 1999, had three RBIs.
Every Yankees starter scored. They were sharp in almost every facet despite a daylong wait Monday for an afternoon doubleheader that got turned into a single night game.
Hurricane Frances caused the Devil Rays to arrive three hours after the scheduled start.
The postponed game will be made up today as part of a doubleheader, beginning at 4:05pm.
Lieber (11-8) allowed nine hits and walked none in 6 2-3 innings.
Jorge Sosa (3-4) gave up five runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.
Twins 3, Orioles 1
In Baltimore, Mike Cuddyer snapped a tie with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, and Minnesota rallied to beat the Orioles.
The Twins pulled even with an eighth-inning run, then took control in the ninth against Jorge Julio (2-4). Pinch-hitter Jason Kubel drew a one-out walk, and after Cristian Guzman hit a fly ball, Cuddyer drove a 1-0 pitch deep into the left-field seats.
It was his ninth home run, the first since July 31.
Julio then threw a high inside pitch that nearly hit Augie Ojeda in the head, and plate umpire Ron Kulpa promptly ejected the right-hander.
J.C. Romero (7-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the Twins, extending his club-record run of shutout innings to 34. Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 39th save.
Royals 6, Tigers 2
In Detroit, Dee Brown homered twice and drove in four runs to lead Kansas City over Detroit.
Jimmy Serrano (1-1) picked up his first major league victory with three scoreless innings of relief, helping the Royals win for just the fifth time in 16 games.
Carlos Pena and Craig Monroe homered for the Tigers.
Nate Robertson (12-8) allowed five runs and nine hits in six-plus innings, losing for the first time in four starts.
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