NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Braves Can Beat Dodgers but Not Padres

The Atlanta Braves had swept the first-place Dodgers, extending their winning streak to six and increasing their record against the National League West to 18-1.

Next up were the last-place San Diego Padres, easy prey.

So what happens?

The Padres scored two runs in the ninth inning and got clutch relief pitching from Pedro Martinez in the ninth to win, 4-3, at Atlanta on Monday night.

Padre Manager Jim Riggleman went against the book and won.

The Braves, who scored twice in the eighth to take a 3-2 lead, were trailing by 4-3 in the ninth when they threatened again.

Padre right-hander Donnie Elliott gave up a single and then, after retiring the next two, walked Roberto Kelly.

That brought up right-handed hitting Jeff Blauser, who had the winning hit Sunday against the Dodgers.

Riggleman brought in Martinez, a left-hander, to face Blauser, and Martinez struck him out on a 2-and-2 fastball, ending the game.

It was the second save for Martinez, who got his first career save on April 24.

“I just wanted to have someone who was more comfortable in that situation,” Riggleman said. “It was more that than a lefty-righty thing.”

Elliott, a rookie, has been used mainly as a set-up man in 15 previous appearances. Riggleman gave his bullpen ace, Trevor Hoffman, the night off.

“(Elliott) got two big outs, but he’s not accustomed to that role,” Riggleman said. “Martinez’s best pitch is a change-up that is very effective against right-handed hitters.”

Craig Shipley’s run-scoring single, his third hit of the game, capped the Padres’ ninth inning rally. Ricky Gutierrez starting things off with a single, went to third on a pinch-hit single by Billy Bean, and scored on a wild pitch by Greg McMichael (2-3). Bean scored on Shipley’s hit.

San Francisco 4, Pittsburgh 3--Bill Swift, activated after being on the disabled list since May 18 with inflammation below his right shoulder, pitched eight effective innings at Pittsburgh, and the Giants scored three runs in the ninth.

Swift (7-3) won his fourth consecutive decision by limiting the Pirates to three hits, including Al Martin’s solo homer in the fourth. Swift got the first 15 outs and 22 of 24 in eight innings on grounders.

Pirate Manager Jim Leyland benched the slumping Andy Van Slyke and again batted Jay Bell sixth rather than his usual second, but the Pirates still were held to five runs or fewer for the 20th time in 23 games. They managed only five hits against Swift and reliever Rod Beck.

Dusty Baker gave Barry Bonds the day off, although he was used as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, when he was intentionally walked.

Pirate starter Steve Cooke, winless in seven starts since April 29, checked the Giants on a run and three hits over eight innings, but reliever Alejandro Pena (2-2) immediately got into trouble in the ninth on Matt Williams’ leadoff double.

John Patterson’s pinch-hit single and Darren Lewis two-run single scored the three runs against Pena, who had given up only one hit and no runs in his previous 8 1/3 innings.

Beck got his 12th save by surviving Dave Clark’s two-run homer in the ninth, the fifth he has given up in 16 2/3 innings.

New York 11, Colorado 3--Ryan Thompson drove in four runs and Bobby Bonilla and Kevin McReynolds each had three RBIs for the Mets at Denver.

Doug Linton (5-2) shut out the Rockies over six innings, losing his shutout in the seventh and giving way to Josias Manzanillo.

The Mets, swept by the Rockies in a three-game series at Shea Stadium last week, tied a season-high with 16 hits off five Colorado pitchers. Rookie Kelly Stinnett had his first four-hit game, and Thompson and Bonilla had three hits apiece.

Philadelphia 3, Chicago 1--Shawn Boskie, traded from the Cubs to the Phillies on April 12 for pitcher Kevin Foster, beat the Cubs for the second time in six days.

Boskie (3-2) gave up only three hits in eight innings at Philadelphia and struck out a season-high seven as the Cubs lost their seventh in a row. Boskie stopped Chicago on two hits in seven innings on June 1.

Doug Jones pitched the ninth for his 14th save. The Phillies ended a three-game losing streak.

Montreal 10, Houston 5--Moises Alou hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs at Montreal as the Expos won their fifth in a row.

Wil Cordero added a two-run homer for the Expos, who got 18 hits and moved 11 games over .500 for the first time this season.

Alou hit a two-run homer in the third inning off Greg Swindell (5-2), and a three-run shot, his seventh, in the sixth off Tom Edens.