Rocky Stretch Ends With Winning Hit
National League
Charlie Hayes’ hitting slump started against his old team, the Colorado Rockies, “and hopefully it ended against them.”
Hayes, hitless in his previous 31 at-bats, singled home the winning run in the 10th inning as the Phillies beat the Rockies 7-6 in Philadelphia.
It was not exactly a well-hit ball: Hayes, whose struggles began on a road trip to Denver last week, said he hit it off the end of his bat.
“I stayed with it long enough to get a squirrel hit, but I’ll take it,” said Hayes, who signed as a free agent for a second stint with Philadelphia after two years in Colorado.
Hayes’ single was Philadelphia’s first hit since the fourth inning and brought home newly acquired Mark Whiten, who reached on a one-out walk, stole second and took third when catcher Joe Girardi’s throw skidded into center.
Rockies manager Don Baylor said Hayes was overdue.
“He was going to get a hit eventually,” Baylor said. “He’ll savor it. When you’re 0-for-31, you’ll take anything.”
Padres 4, Reds 2
Cincinnati
Eddie Williams homered and Steve Finley had three hits and scored three runs as San Diego completed a two-game sweep of Cincinnati.
Marlins 9, Giants 3 Miami Bobby Witt (2-7) retired the first 14 batters for his first victory since May 13, and Florida set a team record with four triples in beating San Francisco.
Cards 8, Mets 7 (11)
St. Louis
Brian Jordan hit two 400-foot homers and singled home the winning run in the 11th inning to lift St. Louis over New York.
Astros 4, Dodgers 0
Houston
Hideo Nomo left the game after four innings because of a split fingernail, and wound up the loser as Doug Drabek (6-5) pitched a three-hitter to lift Houston past Los Angeles.
Cubs 6, Expos 5
Chicago
Pitcher Jaime Navarro hit a three-run double, and Mark Grace and Jose Hernandez homered as Chicago beat Montreal.
Bitter response
Mark Portugal’s departure from the Giants on Friday was a bitter scene. Of the three traded players, Portugal was the only one to refuse to speak directly to the Bay Area media. Unlike Darren Lewis and Dave Burba, who stuck around and said goodbye to teammates in the clubhouse after the game, Portugal bolted during the game.
Once in Cincinnati, Portugal opened up.
“I’m extremely disappointed in the Giants,” he said. “They gave up an awful lot to get one big-league player. The best thing about (the trade) is now I have a chance to beat up on both Houston and San Francisco, the teams that gave up on me.
”(Reds general manager) Jim Bowden made a good acquisition for this ballclub. I know at least three guys on this club who feel that way.”
Clearing the bases
Matt Williams had a sore foot after playing his first game on a rehabilitation assignment for Class A San Jose, a problem that will delay his return to the Giants. … A season-high Astrodome crowd of 39,295, more than double the season average, turned out to see L.A.’s Hideo Nomo. … Houston’s pinch-hitters rank second in the NL with a .323 average (40 hits on 124 at bats). San Diego’s Steve Finley is 48 for 129 (.372) and has scored 31 runs in 29 games hitting leadoff. … Tom Henke blew his first save opportunity of the season for the Cardinals after 22 straight conversions.