Piazza’s Late Hr Lifts Dodgers

National League

Mike Piazza’s two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning Saturday lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles.

Piazza’s 24th homer this season - and sixth against the Rockies - helped the Dodgers win the first three games of the four-game series. Piazza has 16 career homers against Colorado, more than he’s hit against any N.L. team.

Cardinals 9, Pirates 5

Pittsburgh

John Mabry went 5 for 5 with two RBIs, Ron Gant had a two-run double and St. Louis beat Pittsburgh for the sixth consecutive time over two weekends.

The Cardinals have a 45-19 scoring edge over the two series and are 8-2 against the Pirates this season. St. Louis can complete its second sweep in as many weeks by winning today.

Braves 4, Astros 2

Atlanta

Four Atlanta pitchers combined on a seven-hitter and the Braves, led by Marquis Grissom, finally broke through against Houston’s pitching, snapping the Astros’ seven-game winning streak.

Atlanta starter Steve Avery, however, left the game after the third inning because of a strained muscle in his lower left side. The severity of the injury wasn’t immediately known.

Phillies 2, Marlins 1

Philadelphia

Mike Williams allowed four hits in eight innings as Philadelphia sent Florida to its seventh straight loss.

Kevin Brown (7-7), whose 1.88 ERA is the best in baseball, allowed five hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Mets 11, Expos 3

Montreal

Rookie Alex Ochoa, whose recall from the minors has helped New York’s rise in the standings, hit a three-run homer as the Mets won their fourth straight.

Ochoa, who hit for the cycle Wednesday in Philadelphia, snapped a 2-2 tie in the fifth with his third home run.

Cubs 6, Reds 2

Chicago

Leo Gomez lined a two-run, bases-loaded single in the eighth inning and Chicago, punchless in its previous three games, beat Cincinnati.

The Cubs scored four runs in the eighth, more in one inning than they had managed in their last three outings.

Padres 7, Giants 3

San Diego

Rob Deer hit his first major league home run since 1993 and Tim Worrell pitched six strong innings as San Diego beat San Francisco, its eighth straight win against the Giants.

The Padres have won four straight overall while the Giants have lost four straight and 14 of 16.

Lasorda still out

Manager Tom Lasorda’s return to Dodger Stadium via an electronic hookup was put on hold by his doctors.

Lasorda, who is recovering from a heart attack, was scheduled to be a guest commentator for Fox Sports in its telecast of the Dodgers’ game against Colorado.

Lasorda, 68, who was to have taken part in the telecast through a hookup from his home, said although he feels good, his doctors feel he hasn’t had enough time to recuperate.

Thom Brennaman, Fox’s play-by-play announcer, has known Lasorda since he was growing up in Cincinnati, where his father, Marty, is the Reds play-by-play announcer.

Clearing the bases

Pittsburgh released left-hander Zane Smith (4-6) and will give former closer Dan Miceli his first major league start today. Miceli hasn’t started since his last high school season in 1989. … The Expos, in a joint program with the Montreal Urban Community Police Force, have allotted 600 tickets for today’s game to be given away to youths who handed in knives and other bladed weapons.

The disturbing decline in Jason Isringhausen’s (4-10) effectiveness has prompted the New York Mets to consider demoting him to the minor leagues.