Marlins Pitcher Gets Hit In Pinch

Reliever Dennis Cook, called on to pinch-hit when Florida ran out of position players, delivered a one-out, game-winning single in the 12th inning Friday night that gave the Marlins a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Cook improved to 4 for 4 this season - and 28 for 100 lifetime - when he singled to right-center off Mike Cather (0-2) and drove in pinch-runner Gregg Zaun from third.

Charles Johnson doubled to start the 12th, and Zaun took third on a sacrifice by Craig Counsell. Cook, who homered earlier this season, made his first pinch-hitting appearance of the year when he batted for pitcher Jay Powell (2-2).

Padres 8, Expos 2

Montreal

Joey Hamilton needed just 81 pitches to complete a four-hitter and win his fifth consecutive decision.

Dodgers 13, Cubs 9

Chicago

Hideo Nomo fanned 10 in his first win in three weeks and Todd Zeile drove in four runs with a homer and single as Los Angeles survived five Chicago home runs for its seventh straight victory.

Giants 8, Reds 7

Cincinnati

Wilson Alvarez won his debut with San Francisco, allowing three hits and striking out seven in six innings. He walked four and hit a batter.

Roberto Hernandez, acquired with Alvarez from the White Sox, gave up a two-run homer by Reggie Sanders.

Rockies 7, Pirates 6

Pittsburgh

Larry Walker’s second homer of the game and third in two days broke a ninth-inning tie.

Walker drove a 2-2 pitch from reliever Ricardo Rincon into the centerfield seats with the score tied at 6 in the ninth. Walker went 3 for 5 with a double.

Mets 8, Astros 5 (10)

Houston

Edgardo Alfonzo, whose throwing error with two outs in the ninth inning allowed Houston to tie it, hit a two-run double in the 10th.

Phillies 4, Cardinals 1

Philadelphia

Mark McGwire had no impact in his St. Louis debut, arriving at Veterans Stadium just 2 hours before the game, then striking out in his first at-bat and grounding out twice.

Clearing the bases

The Dodgers won 20 of 27 games in July, one shy of the club record for a month. … Tony Gwynn has hit safely in 11 consecutive games, going 15 for 37 with a homer and five doubles. … At 24 games under .500, the Cubs are at their lowest mark since 1986 when they bottomed out at 25 under.