Dodgers Maintain Slim N.L. West Lead
National League
Rookie Todd Hollandsworth homered, doubled and singled as the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers stopped Colorado’s eight-game winning streak Monday night with a 6-4 victory over the Rockies in Denver.
Ismael Valdes (14-7) set a career high for victories, allowing five hits in seven innings. He helped himself with two singles, scoring one run and driving in another.
Todd Worrell pitched the ninth, giving up a two-out, two-run homer to pinch-hitter John Vander Wal.
Los Angeles used singles by Valdes and Hollandsworth and two errors by right fielder Dante Bichette on the same play to take a 2-0 lead in the third.
Hollandsworth hit his 12th homer, a two-run shot, in the ninth off Curtis Leskanic.
Braves 5, Mets 2
New York
Denny Neagle won for the first time with the Braves and drove in a pair of runs in a four-run sixth inning as Atlanta closed a dismal road trip with a victory in the rain at New York.
Lance Johnson of the Mets got his 20th triple of the season, becoming the first N.L. player to reach the mark since Willie Mays in 1957 and the first major leaguer since Willie Wilson in 1985.
Neagle (15-8), acquired from Pittsburgh on Aug. 28, scattered seven hits, struck out three and walked three in his first complete game with the Braves and his second this season.
Padres 2, Giants 1 (11)
San Francisco
Steve Finley hit a leadoff home run in the 11th inning and San Diego beat San Francisco to open a two-game lead in the National League wild-card race.
Padres reliever Trevor Hoffman struck out Rich Aurilia with the bases loaded to end the game, sending the Giants to their sixth straight loss. They have dropped 10 in a row to San Diego.
Bonds joins select club
Barry Bonds became the third player ever with 40 homers and 30 steals in a season when he connected for home run No. 40 in the first inning of San Francisco’s game against San Diego.
Bonds, who began the night with 31 steals, connected off Scott Sanders and sent the ball 430 feet to right field.
Hank Aaron had 44 homers and 31 steals for the 1963 Milwaukee Braves, and Jose Canseco had 42 homers and 40 steals for the 1988 Oakland Athletics.
Clearing the bases
Ellis Burks of the Colorado Rockies was honored as player of the week in the National League. Burks was 18 of 28 with three doubles, eight runs scored and a .964 slugging percentage… . San Diego acquired minorleague outfielder Gerald Parent from Milwaukee to complete the July 31 trade that sent outfielder Greg Vaughn to the Padres.