Bonilla Goes Deep As Ace Wins Again
Bobby Bonilla followed two bases-loaded walks with a grand slam in the fifth inning and Alex Fernandez pitched a four-hitter Tuesday night at Miami to lead the Florida Marlins to an 8-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Fernandez (16-8) walked one and struck out seven in his fifth complete game. He has won his last six starts and 11 of 13. The right-hander, 7-1 since the All-Star break, is 3-0 against the Cubs this season and has allowed two runs and 10 hits in 24-2/3 innings against them.
Chicago rookie right-hander Jeremi Gonzalez took a no-hitter into the fifth, before Charles Johnson singled with one out and Craig Counsell followed with a soft single.
Fernandez reached on a fielder’s choice and Devon White walked to load the bases.
Gonzalez then threw eight consecutive balls to Edgar Renteria and Gary Sheffield to force in two runs. He threw two more - 12 consecutive balls in all - to Bonilla before reliever Ramon Tatis came in and gave up Bonilla’s seventh career grand slam and 15th homer this season.
Giants 9, Phillies 5
Philadelphia
Shawn Estes defeated Philadelphia for the third time this season and Bill Mueller hit a bases-clearing triple that led San Francisco past the Phillies.
Estes (16-4) allowed five runs and seven hits in six-plus innings. He has won all three starts against the Phillies this year and improved to 8-0 in 10 starts following Giants losses.
Dodgers 4, Mets 2
New York
Eric Karros hit a tiebreaking home run with two outs in the eighth inning and newly acquired Eric Young had three hits, leading Los Angeles over New York.
Cardinals 12, Expos 5
Montreal
Ray Lankford hit a three-run homer and scored twice in an eight-run second inning that helped St. Louis rout Montreal.
Pirates 5, Padres 3
Pittsburgh
Keith Osik’s two-run, two-out double finished off Pittsburgh’s three-run sixth inning and Jon Lieber defeated San Diego to win at home for the first time since June 30.
Reds 6, Rockies 5
Cincinnati
Jon Nunnally hit a tie-breaking homer and Willie Greene homered and drove in three runs, leading Cincinnati to its rainy victory over Colorado.
Braves 4, Astros 3
Houston
John Smoltz struck out a season-high 11 in eight innings and Jeff Blauser hit a two-run homer as Atlanta handed Mike Hampton of Houston his first loss since June 27.
Clearing the bases
San Francisco’s Mark Lewis was 7 for 56 before hitting a home run… .
Todd Worrell of the Dodgers reached 30 saves for the sixth time… . . A batting practice line drive off the bat of Montreal’s Mark Grudzielanek hit John Mabry of St. Louis on the right side of the face and broke his jaw… . Expos left fielder Henry Rodriguez missed his sixth consecutive game with a strained right ribcage muscle.