Rockies Lose, Lead L.A. By Half-Game

National League

The Colorado Rockies have a split personality at the plate. Though they lead the National League with a .280 batting average, they’ve been shut out 11 times - second-worst in the majors.

The Rockies showed their poor-hitting side Saturday in a 2-0 loss to the host San Francisco Giants, getting just two hits off four pitchers and stumbling in their drive to the playoffs.

Colorado’s lead in the N.L. West has been cut to a half-game as second-place Los Angeles beat San Diego.

“I don’t think we hit a ball hard all day. And if you’re not going to hit, especially for us, you’re not going to win,” said Rockies manager Don Baylor.

Baylor said Colorado’s split personality is due to poor pitch selection by his batters. While other teams can create runs by drawing walks, the Rockies usually can’t score if they can’t hit.

Jamie Brewington (5-4), who allowed two hits in six innings, left seven Rockies on base in the first four innings. Rod Beck, the fourth Giants pitcher, got three outs for his 32nd save.

Brewington had lost his previous three decisions.

Dodgers 4, Padres 2

Los Angeles

Chris Gwynn pinch-hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Los Angeles the victory over San Diego, moving the Dodgers within a half-game of first place in the N.L. West.

Phillies 3, Reds 2 (13)

Philadelphia

Mark Whiten tied the game with a two-out solo homer in the ninth and won it in the 13th with a full-count, bases-loaded walk as Philadelphia beat Cincinnati.

Expos 5, Braves 2

Atlanta

Rondell White hit a solo home run in a two-run eighth inning, lifting Montreal to the victory over Atlanta.

Astros 7, Cardinals 3

Houston

Dave Magadan drove in two runs and rookie Donne Wall won his third straight start as Houston beat St. Louis and kept pressure on Los Angeles in the N.L. wild card race.

Marlins 4, Mets 3

Miami

Gary Sheffield hit his 10th homer of the month, a solo shot with two outs in the seventh inning that gave Florida the victory over New York.

Cubs 8, Pirates 5

Chicago

Jose Hernandez hit a tie-breaking homer in the sixth inning and Mark Grace added a two-run single to lead Chicago to the victory over Pittsburgh.

Bonds talks retirement

As the San Francisco Giants slide closer to elimination from the playoff race, Barry Bonds says he is under so much stress and so tired of being blamed for everything that he’s considering retiring.

Bonds, 31, says he wakes up every morning with a migraine headache. He spends many nights getting booed by fans, both at home and on the road, who see him as the epitome of everything wrong with baseball.

“It’s everything, man. Look at my year. A lot of things, not just the game itself,” he said Friday night. “I’m tired of taking blame for everyone else’s problems. I don’t need it.”

Expo pitcher arrested

Montreal Expos pitcher Carlos Perez was arrested and charged with raping a 20-year-old woman in Atlanta.

Perez, 24, was being held at the Atlanta City Jail on Saturday night as his team played the Braves. He was arrested at the team hotel on Saturday morning.

Clearing the bases

Deion Sanders singled in the first for the Giants and has reached base safely in the first inning in 17 of his last 31 games as the leadoff hitter… . Rey Sanchez did not start at second base for the Cubs because his broken hand has gotten worse, manager Jim Riggleman said. Sanchez has been playing despite the broken bone. … Mariano Duncan and Jeff Branson have started at every infield position this season for the Reds.