NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Broken Finger Mars Arocha’s Third Win

Rookie Rene Arocha, who left the game because of a broken finger, won his third consecutive start as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Colorado Rockies, 5-0, Tuesday night at St. Louis.

Arocha (3-0) gave up four hits and struck out five before suffering a broken left ring finger and leaving with two out in the sixth. He was injured when Dante Bichette’s line drive tipped off his glove for an infield hit.

Cardinal Manager Joe Torre said there was possible ligament damage and that team doctors would decide this morning whether the injury would require surgery.

“We just hope it’s just the 15 days and we’re happy he got it off the glove hand and not the pitching hand,” Torre said. “It could have been worse.”

Arocha, a 27-year-old right-hander, defected from Cuba two years ago and the Cardinals won his rights in a special lottery. In his first three major league starts, he has given up four runs in 21 2/3 innings for a 1.66 ERA.

Omar Olivares was perfect during the last 3 1/3 innings for St. Louis, earning his second major league save, and first since 1991.

Colorado starter Bryn Smith (1-2), a Cardinal from 1990-92, lasted only four innings and gave up five runs on seven hits.

Geronimo Pena ended an 0-for-17 skid with three hits and a run batted in and Brian Jordan, mired in a season-long three-for-25 slump, had two hits and an RBI.

San Francisco 4, New York 1--A two-run home run by Barry Bonds highlighted a three-run 11th inning at New York, where the Giants ended a six-game losing streak against the Mets.

Darren Lewis opened the 11th with a triple off Mike Maddux (0-1), the third New York pitcher. Will Clark singled to break a 1-1 tie, and one out later Bonds homered over the center-field fence, his fourth this season.

Dave Righetti (1-0) pitched a hitless 10th to pick up the win and Rod Beck earned his fifth save, working a 1-2-3 11th.

Bill Swift gave up only one hit through seven innings, striking out three and walking one. He retired the final 13 batters he faced before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

The Mets’ Sid Fernandez struck out 14 while limiting the Giants to three hits in eight innings.

Chicago 2, Houston 1--Mike Harkey pitched seven strong innings and Dwight Smith had three hits and scored both runs, leading the Cubs to the victory at Chicago.

Mark Grace and Derrick May had RBI singles for Chicago.

Harkey (2-0) had his scoreless-inning streak ended at 14 1/3 after he issued a leadoff walk in the seventh to Craig Biggio, who later scored on Jeff Bagwell’s double-play grounder. Randy Myers, the Cubs’ fourth pitcher, gained his fourth save.

Harkey struck out four and walked five in winning his sixth consecutive decision and raising his career mark against the Astros to 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA. Mark Portugal (1-1) gave up two runs on six hits and three walks in six innings, striking out one.

Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 0--Tim Belcher pitched a three-hitter and Barry Larkin had three hits and two RBIs at Pittsburgh.

Belcher (1-1) limited the Pirates to three singles, striking out nine and walking one.

Larkin, who left the game with a thumb injury in the seventh inning, was 14 for 28 against Pittsburgh last season. He is eight for 11 against Randy Tomlin (0-1).

Atlanta 5, Florida 4--Greg Maddux pitched until the ninth inning and helped himself with an RBI single as the Braves hung on for the victory at Miami.

Maddux (2-1) carried a 5-1 lead into the ninth, but Benito Santiago followed a leadoff double by Orestes Destrade with the Marlins’ first homer at Joe Robbie Stadium. Alex Arias’ first career homer one out later finished Maddux, who worked 8 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and walking three while striking out seven.

Ryan Bowen (1-1) of the Marlins walked the bases loaded to start the fourth, and Mark Lemke drove in a run with a grounder. Maddux followed with a run-scoring single and, one out later, an RBI grounder by Jeff Blauser gave the Braves a 3-1 lead.

Philadelphia 4, San Diego 3--John Kruk’s home run with two out in the 14th inning gave the Phillies the victory at Philadelphia.

Jeremy Hernandez (0-2), the Padres’ sixth pitcher, struck out the first two batters before Kruk connected on a 3-and-0 pitch.

Bob Aryault (1-0) worked one inning for the victory.