Owings has monster game

Rookie right-hander Micah Owings had four hits, including a pair of mammoth home runs, drove in six runs and scored four times while pitching three-hit ball through seven innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 12-6 on Saturday night in Atlanta.

All three hits against Owings (6-6) were solo home runs. Chipper Jones hit his 20th in the first, Jeff Francoeur hit his 15th and Andruw Jones his 22nd in the seventh. Owings struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter to win for the first time in two months.

Owings was 0-5 with a 5.70 ERA in his previous nine starts and one inning of relief.

Owings, who lives in Gainesville, Ga., and played two seasons at Georgia Tech, lifted his batting average to .279 with the four hits. He has three homers and 11 RBIs this season.

The record for RBIs by a pitcher in one game is nine set by Tony Cloninger of Atlanta, who had two grand slams against San Francisco on July 3, 1966.

Dye gets extension

Outfielder Jermaine Dye agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract extension to stay with the Chicago White Sox through the 2009 season.

Dye, the MVP of the 2005 World Series, could have been a free agent at the end of this season.

Bonds hits 760

San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds hit his 760th career home run, connecting in the fifth inning off Florida’s Rick VandenHurk in Miami, to extend baseball’s all-time record.

It was his 26th home run of the season.

Minor leaguer busted

A Tampa Bay Devil Rays minor leaguer was suspended 50 games for violating baseball’s minor league drug rules.

Double-A Montgomery pitcher James Houser tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Posada may shop

Yankees’ catcher Jorge Posada spoke about rumors that he may test the free agent market after this season when his six-year contract expires.

“I wish I could say for sure I’ll be with the Yankees next season,” he said. “But I don’t know that. A part of me is interested in being a free agent because I never have been one before.”