Marlins Catcher Sets Error-Free Mark

National League

Jeff Conine’s error led to the only run, and the visiting San Francisco Giants handed rookie Livan Hernandez his first loss by beating the slumping Florida Marlins 1-0 Friday night.

While Conine committed a costly error at first base, Florida catcher Charles Johnson extended his streak of errorless games to 160, breaking Rick Cerone’s major league record for catchers.

Johnson, who has yet to make an error in 111 games this season, also broke Earl Grace’s N.L. record of 110 consecutive errorless games in a season. The two-time Gold Glove winner hasn’t had a passed ball this season either. He last committed an error June 23, 1996.

Four Giants combined on an eighthitter, with Rod Beck pitching a perfect ninth for his 37th save. Brian Johnson drove in the Giants’ run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Rockies 3, Braves 1

Atlanta

Larry Walker hit a game-tying single and Andres Galarraga hit a two-run double in the ninth as Colorado spoiled Greg Maddux’s bid for his 19th win.

Maddux was headed to a four-hit shutout when Bobby Cox pulled the four-time Cy Young Award winner after just 88 pitches and brought in Mark Wohlers.

Cardinals 4, Padres 2

St. Louis

Mark McGwire stayed stuck at 50 homers, going 0 for 4 for St. Louis.

Matt Morris gave up just one run despite getting hit hard, and Ray Lankford homered to lead St. Louis. Royce Clayton drove in two runs for the Cardinals, 23-17 against the N.L. West and 45-61 against other teams.

Astros 10, Dodgers 3

Houston

Derek Bell drove in four runs as Houston knocked Los Angeles out of the N.L. West lead for the first time since Aug. 22.

Expos 3, Mets 2 (15)

New York

Rondell White’s two-out homer in the 15th kept New York from picking up a game on Florida in the wild-card race.

The Mets stranded the game-winning run at third in both the 10th and 12th and at second in the 14th, and got the tying run to second in the 15th with one out.

Pirates 3, Cubs 1

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, struggling to stay in the N.L. Central race, benefited from nine walks by Chicago starter Miguel Batista in four-plus innings.

Batista was on a pace to break the Cubs record of 11 walks until he was pulled after facing two batters in the fifth.

Reds 4-1, Phillies 2-9

Philadelphia

Mark Leiter pitched a five-hitter for his third complete game of the season as Philadelphia earned a doubleheader split. Mike Remlinger won for the first time in nearly a month in the opener.

Clearing the bases

McGwire thinks he’d like to stay in St. Louis. “Let’s hope things work out,” he told radio station KMOX. … Pete Rose will apply for reinstatement to baseball after the World Series. … New York’s Butch Huskey extended his hitting streak to a career-high 20 games with a 10th-inning single.