Giants Lose, Stay Game Up As L.A. Falls
National League
The San Francisco Giants had a rather upsetting time Saturday in San Diego.
First, manager Dusty Baker went to a hospital with a stomach disorder, then the Padres routed the Giants 12-2.
San Francisco, coming off three straight wins, remained one game ahead of second-place Los Angeles in the N.L. West. The Dodgers lost to Colorado 2-1.
Greg Vaughn drove in five runs with a double and homer, and Tony Gwynn had three hits and three RBIs to raise his batting average three points to .3699. Gwynn retook the N.L. lead, just ahead of Colorado’s Larry Walker at .3696. Walker went 1 for 3 with a walk.
Baker missed the start of the game, but was at the ballpark in time to pull starter Shawn Estes (18-5) with the Giants trailing 5-0 with two outs in the second inning.
Rockies 2, Dodgers 1 Los Angeles
Eddie Murray grounded into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded as L.A. lost to Colorado.
Jeff Reed’s RBI double in the eighth off Antonio Osuna (3-4) produced the winning margin.
Phillies 3, Cubs 2 Chicago
There are parts of Ryne Sandberg’s special day he’ll want to forget.
Like going 0 for 4 and misplaying a grounder by Tony Barron that allowed the go-ahead run to score in a three-run ninth, helping Philadelphia overcome Chicago.
Astros 4, Reds 1 Cincinnati
Jeff Bagwell hit his 42nd homer and Mike Hampton allowed five hits over eight-plus innings as Houston reduced its magic number for clinching the N.L. Central title to five.
Mets 7, Marlins 3 Miami
Brian McRae hit a first-inning grand slam and New York averted elimination from wild-card contention.
The Marlins began selling playoff tickets, but the magic number to clinch their first postseason berth remained three.
Braves 3, Expos 1 Atlanta
Tom Glavine, who hasn’t lost to Montreal in nearly five years, pitched a two-hitter to beat Pedro Martinez as Atlanta lowered its magic number for winning the N.L. East to two.
Martinez (17-8) entered the game leading the majors in ERA (1.91), complete games (12), and opponents batting average (.183). He allowed six hits, two runs - one earned - walked one and struck out 12 in eight innings.
Pirates 10, Cardinals 1 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh kept Mark McGwire in the ballpark and stayed on the fringe of the N.L. Central race behind Esteban Loaiza’s complete-game pitching, beating St. Louis.
McGwire, who has a major-league leading 54 homers, was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts as Loaiza fooled him with low-and-away breaking balls.
Pittsburgh stayed 3-1/2 games behind Houston.
Clearing the bases
Walker’s double in the third for Colorado made him the first N.L. player since Hank Aaron in 1959 to reach 400 total bases in a season. Aaron ended the season with that total. Walker has 401 with seven games remaining. … Houston’s Craig Biggio has not grounded into a double play this season, a span of 154 games. The Chicago Cubs’ Augie Galen did not hit into one during the 1935 season - which was 154 games - to set the ML record.
Marlins catcher Charles Johnson played his 118th consecutive errorless game, breaking the one-season major-league record set by Buddy Rosar of the Philadelphia A’s in 1946. Johnson committed his first passed ball of the year Friday… . The Cardinals brought infielder Gary Gaetti on to pitch after reliever Jose Bautista was ejected for hitting Tony Womack. Bautista appeared to be retaliating for Loaiza bunting for a hit with a seven-run lead.