NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : That’s a Big 10-4 for the Rockies in Denver

Somebody stop the Colorado Rockies before they hurt someone.

Larry Walker and Andres Galarraga had two of Colorado’s four homers Thursday, powering a 10-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants and a sweep of the three-game series at Denver.

Dante Bichette and rookie Jason Bates also homered. Walker, whose homer highlighted a four-run first inning, and Vinny Castilla each had three hits and three runs batted in. Rookie Juan Acevedo was the winning pitcher.

The Rockies, who have swept three series this season (and were swept by the Dodgers over the weekend), have hit 15 homers in five games and are tied for the best record in the NL at 10-4.

Giant Manager Dusty Baker blamed hanging pitches.

“You can make mistakes, but not with a hot-hitting club like Colorado is right now,” Baker said. “We did what we were trying to avoid--putting guys on base and giving them the opportunity for home runs. We had homers too, but they were solo.”

Terry Mulholland, who retired 10 consecutive batters at one point, was the loser.

Montreal 13, Philadelphia 1--Rookie Carlos Perez, making his first major league start, pitched five innings and hit a home run at Philadelphia as the Expos ended the Phillies’ seven-game winning streak.

Perez, the brother of the Yankees’ Melido Perez and former Expo pitcher Pascual Perez, scattered six hits, struck out six and gave up only one run. He had two wild pitches but no walks.

Moises Alou went four for five, including his second homer of the year, Rondell White knocked in three runs and scored twice and Shane Andrews went two for four with a two-run homer.

Rookie left-hander Michael Mimbs, pulled after giving up five runs and five hits in one-third of an inning, was the loser.

Cincinnati 3, Florida 1--Damon Berryhill’s first hit of the year--a tiebreaking RBI single in the 15th inning--helped the Reds hand the Marlins a franchise-record ninth consecutive loss at home.

The victory was the Reds’ fifth in a row and gave them a series sweep for the first time since last Aug. 1-3.

Reggie Sanders, who tied the score with an RBI single in the seventh, led off the 15th with a single off Matt Dunbar and took second when left fielder Andre Dawson booted the ball. Sanders beat Dunbar’s throw to third on a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Tim Pugh and scored on the hit by Berryhill, who went to the plate 0 for 6 this year.

Cincinnati relievers retired 13 in a row at one point and Pugh was the winner, giving up one hit in three innings.

New York 5, Atlanta 3--Bobby Jones scattered six hits over eight innings and Rico Brogna and Joe Orsulak, who each had three hits, drove in a run apiece as the Mets won at New York.

John Franco registered his fourth save and second consecutive against the Braves.

John Smoltz was the loser, yielding three runs and 10 hits in six innings.

Houston 12, Pittsburgh 4--Phil Plantier added to the Pirates’ first-inning miseries, hitting a three-run homer for the Astros to help complete a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh.

Luis Gonzalez and Derek Bell each had three of Houston’s 17 hits. The Astros totaled 41 hits while outscoring Pittsburgh, 31-13, in the rain-shortened series.

Greg Swindell was the winning pitcher. Paul Wagner took the loss.

Pirates’ opponents are batting .340 while outscoring Pittsburgh, 36-9, in the first inning.