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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Atlanta Pitchers Continue To Fail

From Wire Reports

National League

The Atlanta Braves may have the best pitchers in baseball, but the Colorado Rockies are making them look like a bunch of Little Leaguers.

The Rockies roughed up an Atlanta ace for the second straight day, scoring seven runs in the first inning off Tom Glavine and later rallying to beat the Braves 13-12 Saturday in Denver.

A day after routing Greg Maddux in a 19-8 victory, Colorado broke loose with four home runs and 16 hits. Larry Walker hit two solo shots, Dante Bichette had a three-run blast and Walt Weiss also connected.

Not since April 25-26, 1977, had the Braves allowed a total of 32 runs in two games. Back then, when Cincinnati scored 23 runs on one day and nine the next, the Braves were the worst team in the league.

Cubs 6, Expos 4

Chicago

Brian McRae doubled three times leading off innings and scored each time as Chicago found its bearings in the fog and beat Montreal.

With the fog rolling over Wrigley Field and threatening visibility, the umpires called for an experiment before the bottom of the sixth.

Crew chief Bruce Froemming had Chicago outfielder Luis Gonzalez return to the field with his glove. Cubs coach Mako Oliveras then came out of the dugout and hit two fungos to see if Gonzalez and Expos fielders at second base could see the ball while it was in the air.

Montreal first baseman David Segui dropped one of the pops, but the game continued with the Cubs leading 4-3.

Astros 7, Phillies 3

Houston

Craig Biggio hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in a four-run seventh and Billy Wagner earned his first major league victory as Houston beat Philadelphia.

Jim Eisenreich drove in Philadelphia’s three runs with the first two-homer performance of his career and his first two of the season. The Astros managed just three hits against Curt Schilling over six innings but tagged Russ Springer (1-5), who replaced Schilling to start the seventh with the score tied 3-3.

Giants 4, Cardinals 1

San Francisco

Stan Javier’s two-out, bases-loaded double cleared the bases to break an eighth-inning tie and give San Francisco a win over St. Louis.

Javier hit Todd Stottlemyre’s first pitch into the left-field gap, knocking home three runs.

Mets 7, Marlins 6

New York

Jeff Kent went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs, and New York held off Florida for its first win in five games against the Marlins this season.

John Franco picked up his 12th save.

Dodgers 5, Reds 4 (10)

Los Angeles

Los Angeles, boosted by a surprise visit from Brett Butler before the game, beat Cincinnati on Delino DeShields’ RBI single in the 10th.

Butler, who underwent cancer surgery on his throat two weeks ago, popped into the Dodgers clubhouse about 45 minutes prior to the first pitch. The popular center fielder had been in Mexico for a day, looking at alternative medicine, and did not tell his teammates he was coming to see them.

Reds shortstop Barry Larkin left the game with upper-back spasms after charging in to field Raul Mondesi’s grounder in the second.

Mets pitcher ailing

New York Mets rookie pitcher Paul Wilson, a former No. 1 draft pick, has been taken out of the starting rotation because of tendinitis in his right shoulder. Wilson, scheduled to pitch Monday night against Atlanta, felt stiffness in his right shoulder during a workout Friday.

Original owner dies

C. Arnholt Smith, the original owner of the San Diego Padres whose deal to sell the team to Washington, D.C., interests fell through in 1973, died Saturday. He was 97.