Giants Extend Win Streak To 9

National League

With the San Francisco Giants on a nine-game roll, Osvaldo Fernandez came out on top in the battle of Fernandez v. Fernandez on Sunday.

Osvaldo Fernandez (2-1) scattered five hits over seven innings as the Giants beat the Florida Marlins 2-0. Jeff Kent and Rick Wilkins had sacrifice flies and Rod Beck got his major-league leading 10th save.

Alex Fernandez (2-2) took the loss, allowing four hits and both Giants runs over six innings.

“Obviously, with the way we’re playing, it not only gives me confidence but it gives the whole team confidence,” said Osvaldo Fernandez, who had just one strikeout and only one walk.

The Giants had their third straight series sweep this season. They are now 13-3 and off to their best start in 16 games since 1938 when the team was in New York.

Giants manager Dusty Baker warned against getting too excited about the winning streak.

“This is what you work on,” he said. “I don’t think you can come out and say we’re a damn good team yet because we haven’t played everybody.”

Osvaldo Fernandez got into trouble briefly in the seventh inning when Jeff Conine singled and Charles Johnson reached first on Bill Mueller’s throwing error to second base. But after Alex Arias’ sacrifice bunt, pinch hitter Cliff Floyd flied to center and Luis Castillo grounded out to second to end the threat.

Kent’s sacrifice fly in the first inning scored Stan Javier, who doubled to lead off the inning. J.T. Snow doubled to lead off the second, then scored on Wilkins’ sacrifice fly.

“If you give up runs early, you had better be done giving up runs for the rest of the day,” said Alex Fernandez (2-2).

Astros 3, Dodgers 1 Los Angeles

Craig Biggio hit two home runs, including a two-out, two-run shot off Tom Candiotti in the eighth inning, for Houston.

Biggio’s second homer of the day into the left-field stands on a 1-1 pitch from Candiotti (2-1) also drove in Tim Bogar, who had hit a one-out double. The runs were the first allowed by Candiotti this season in seven relief appearances.

Rockies 9, Braves 2 Denver

Darren Holmes, a reliever making his first career start, held hot-hitting Atlanta in check, and Larry Walker and Quinton McCracken had four hits apiece for Colorado.

Colorado finished the game with a season-high 20 hits - 14 of them off John Smoltz (2-3), who allowed seven runs in 5-2/3 innings.

Backup first baseman John Vander Wal added three RBIs for the Rockies, who ended Atlanta’s winning streak at seven games and prevented the Braves from starting 14-3 for the first time in team history.

Padres 8, Cardinals 2 Honolulu

Quilvio Veras, Tony Gwynn and Ken Caminiti each drove in two runs as San Diego beat St. Louis to conclude the first major league baseball series in Hawaii.

The Padres, who scored only one run while dropping a doubleheader to the Cardinals Saturday, broke out of their offensive slump with 12 hits in the finale of the three-game series.

San Diego starter Andy Ashby (1-1) allowed seven hits and two runs in seven innings, including an inside-the-park home run by Ron Gant.

Pirates 5, Reds 3 Pittsburgh

Jon Lieber allowed one earned run for the fourth consecutive start, and Kevin Young had three RBIs as Pittsburgh continued Cincinnati’s road woes.

The Reds, victimized again by their pitchers’ wildness, have lost six of seven overall and 10 of their last 11 on the road.

The Reds walked 23 and hit four batters in the series, and have walked at least three in 17 of their 18 games. They have walked at least seven in five of their last nine, including twice in the series.

Expos 5-3, Phillies 1-0 Philadelphia

Pedro Martinez, making only his second start of the season, pitched a strong game as the Montreal Expos blanked Philadelphia to sweep a doubleheader.

Mark Grudzielanek had a two-run double, and Montreal pitchers combined on a three-hitter as the Expos ended a three-game slide in the opener.

Mark Portugal, making his first appearance of the season because of elbow injury, gave up all three Montreal runs.

In the opener, Jeff Juden (2-0) gave up just one run despite five walks in five innings of two-hit pitching. Dave Veres pitched four innings for his first save.

Clearing the bases

Barry Bonds needs one RBI to reach 1,000 for his career… . Colorado’s Eric Young extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an infield single in the seventh inning… . The Giants have hit only two home runs at home this season… . San Diego’s victory was the 2,000th in franchise history.