Ashby Sets Pace As Padres Roll On

National League

Andy Ashby hit a two-run double and scattered nine hits in 5-2/3 innings, leading the San Diego Padres over the New York Mets 7-2 Saturday in New York.

Steve Finley hit a bases-loaded triple, and four Mets errors led to four unearned runs as the Padres won their fourth straight. New York has lost nine of 13.

Ashby (6-2) allowed two runs and nine hits, struck out four and walked three. He also went 2 for 3 at the plate.

Dodgers 5, Expos 3

Montreal

Ramon Martinez won his ninth straight decision and Mike Piazza went 3 for 3 with a two-run homer as Los Angeles beat Montreal.

Billy Ashley hit a bases-loaded triple as the Dodgers won for the eighth time in 11 games.

Martinez (3-0), who hasn’t lost in 15 starts since last Aug. 3, allowed three runs - two earned - and eight hits in 6-1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked five.

Astros 5, Cubs 2

Houston

Doug Drabek ended his three-year drought against Chicago, and Jeff Bagwell hit his 16th homer, leading Houston to the victory.

The Astros won before 34,326 fans, their biggest home crowd since opening day.

Giants 3, Phillies 2

San Francisco

Mark Gardner won his fourth consecutive start and Kirt Manwaring hit a go-ahead double in the sixth inning, leading San Francisco over Philadelphia.

Gardner (6-1), released by Florida during spring training and signed by the Giants on March 29, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings, with five strikeouts and one walk. He is 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last four starts.

Pirates 6, Braves 2

Pittsburgh

Denny Neagle struck out 10 in seven innings and Pittsburgh beat Atlanta, stopping a five-game losing streak.

The Pirates led 3-2 when Neagle (6-2) slipped a called third strike past Chipper Jones with the bases loaded to end the seventh. Pittsburgh then scored three runs in the bottom half, taking advantage of four walks by Steve Avery (5-4).

Cardinals 5, Marlins 0

Miami

Andy Benes pitched a five-hitter to snap his seven-game losing streak as St. Louis won its fifth in a row by beating Florida.

Benes (2-7) struck out seven and walked none for his ninth career shutout.

Rockies 7, Reds 5

Denver

John Vander Wal drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly as Colorado outlasted Cincinnati in a game delayed more than 2 hours by rain.

With the game tied at 3 in the seventh, the Rockies took advantage of a walk, a poor fielding decision by Marcus Moore, a hit batter and Vander Wal’s fly ball to produce the go-ahead run.

Clearing the bases

Brett Butler was released from Emory University Hospital, four days after the Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder had a cancerous lymph node removed from his neck. His surgeon said he believes all the cancerous tissue was removed. … Mets reliever Paul Byrd, on the disabled list since the start of the season with a herniated disc, will begin a rehabilitation assignment Monday at Norfolk of the International League. … The Giants’ Barry Bonds is 5 for 31 (.161) with no homers and one RBI in his last 10 games.

Enos Slaughter’s uniform No. 9 will be retired Sept. 6 as part of ceremonies honoring the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1946 World Series champions. Slaughter played in the major leagues from 1938 to 1959, finished with a .300 average and made the Hall of Fame in 1985. … Derek Aucoin, the first Quebec-born player drafted and developed by the Expos to reach the majors, made his Montreal debut. He relieved in the seventh and received a standing ovation from the 27,104 in attendance.