Martinez Of Expos Fans 12, Goes To 8-0
National League
Pedro Martinez pitched a five-hitter with a season-high 12 strikeouts Friday night to improve to a club-record 8-0 at the start of the season as the Montreal Expos beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1.
Martinez was dominant from the outset, striking out nine of the first 13 batters he faced. The right-hander did not allow a walk in his third complete game of the season.
Darrin Fletcher scored the go-ahead run in the Montreal seventh and drove in two more in the eighth with a bases-loaded bloop single to right.
Giants 2, Cardinals 0 San Francisco
Shawn Estes pitched a two-hitter for his second shutout of the season to outduel Matt Morris.
Estes (6-2), who struck out five and walked three, retired the last 16 batters he faced. He allowed only leadoff singles by John Mabry in the third and Delino DeShields in the fourth and did not allow a runner past second base.
Cubs 3, Reds 1 Cincinnati
Sammy Sosa homered and Terry Mullholland allowed only five hits in eight innings, helping resurgent Chicago move farther ahead of Cincinnati.
Since opening the season with a National League-record 14 losses, the Cubs have surged past the Reds by going 17-14.
Rockies 8, Astros 7 Denver
Dante Bichette homered and drove in three runs and rookie Bobby Jones earned his first career victory.
Ellis Burks homered for the fourth straight game as the Rockies won for just the fourth time in 11 games.
Padres 6, Marlins 3 San Diego
Fernando Valenzuela won for the first time in seven starts and Wally Joyner had three hits, including a homer.
Valenzuela’s only previous victory this season came April 16 at Pittsburgh. He was 0-5 with a 6.35 ERA in his previous six starts.
Braves 4, Dodgers 2 Los Angeles
John Smoltz pitched eight strong innings and Atlanta defeated Pedro Astacio for the ninth consecutive time.
The victory was Atlanta’s seventh straight.
Smoltz (6-3) sent the Dodgers to their sixth consecutive defeat, allowing two runs and seven hits.
Phillies 2, Mets 1 Philadelphia
Rookie Garrett Stephenson, in just his third major-league start, allowed one run and three hits in six innings as Philadelphia sent New York to only its fourth loss in 13 games.
Dave Mlicki (0-4), winless in 17 starts since Sept. 19, 1995, allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.
Clearing the bases
Cincinnati’s Reggie Sanders severely sprained his right ankle while trying to break up a game-ending double play and could be sidelined for several weeks. … Houston manager Larry Dierker left the club following the death of his father in Los Angeles. Bench coach Bill Virdon is managing the Astros this weekend.