Rockies Show Road Persona

The Colorado Rockies are best known for winning at home with offense. Now, they’re winning on the road with pitching and defense.

Colorado got plenty of both again Saturday. Starter Bill Swift pitched six scoreless innings, and third baseman Vinny Castilla made a game-saving defensive play on the last out of the game to preserve a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

With the victory, the Rockies extended their team-record road winning streak to eight games.

Not that it was easy. The Rockies led 4-1 going into the bottom of the ninth. But St. Louis scored a run off reliever Darren Holmes and had the bases loaded when the game ended.

“We like to make it interesting,” said Colorado manager Don Baylor, “so you shouldn’t leave your seat.”

Castilla bailed the Rockies out with a sparkling play on Brian Jordan’s bases-loaded, two-out shot in the bottom of the ninth against reliever Bruce Ruffin. Castilla made a back-handed stop and threw across his body to first.

Expos 8, Mets 1

Montreal

Pedro Martinez struck out 10 Mets in seven strong innings and improved to 10-0 lifetime against New York, leading Montreal to its sixth straight victory.

Darrin Fletcher hit a two-run homer and Joe Orsulak, who entered the game in the fourth inning after David Segui was ejected, hit a two-run double in Montreal’s five-run fifth inning.

Reds 10, Phillies 2

Cincinnati

Pete Schourek hit his second career homer and picked up his first victory in nearly a year as Cincinnati snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over Philadelphia.

Braves 3, Padres 2 (10)

Atlanta

Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer off San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman in the bottom of the 10th inning, rallying Atlanta over the Padres.

The Padres took a 2-1 lead in the 10th off Mark Wohlers (1-0) on a two-out walk to Rickey Henderson and a double by Quilvio Veras.

Marlins 8, Dodgers 3

Miami

Jeff Conine and Charles Johnson hit home runs, leading Florida over Los Angeles.

Eric Karros hit a two-run homer off Alex Fernandez in the fourth inning, pulling the Dodgers within 4-2.

In the sixth, Karros appeared to tie the game with another two-run shot. But third-base umpire Terry Tata ruled the ball hit the top of the left-field scoreboard and bounced back, and it went for an RBI double.

Replays showed the ball cleared the scoreboard.

Giants 2, Astros 0

Houston

Shawn Estes pitched a two-hitter for his first major league shutout and complete game, leading San Francisco to a win over Houston.

Estes (4-0) took a no-hitter into the sixth before Pat Listach led off by legging out an infield single. Estes, making his 18th career start, walked one and struck out eight in ending the Astros’ five-game winning streak.

Clearing the bases

Colorado broke the team record for consecutive errorless innings in the first inning Saturday. The Rockies’ errorless streak is now at 67 innings, topping the old mark of 58-2/3 innings set in June 1994. … Philadelphia’s Mark Portugal, nicknamed the “Rain Man” because he had so many starts interrupted by the weather last season with Cincinnati, is scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Reds. The weather forecast calls for rain.