NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cardinals’ Jackson Is 0-7 After Loss to Rockies

It keeps getting worse and worse for Danny Jackson, signed to a long-term, multimillion-dollar contract to bring order to the St. Louis Cardinal pitching rotation.

Out of order has come chaos, in part the product of Jackson’s record, which stretched to 0-7 Wednesday afternoon when Andres Galarraga hit a three-run homer to power the Colorado Rockies to a 7-3 victory in Denver.

The Rockies, who have won six of their last seven games, tagged Jackson for three runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth.

“He looked good the first couple innings and then he got in trouble walking [Eric] Young to lead off one inning,” Cardinal Manager Joe Torre said of his veteran left-hander, whose earned-run average soared to 8.39. “He’s got to keep battling. There’s not much else he can do. He knows he’s not pitching well right now.”

Jackson gave up four consecutive hits and three runs in the fourth inning. With one out, Galarraga singled and Ellis Burks doubled to left. Vinny Castilla sliced a two-run double down the right field line and scored on Joe Girardi’s single.

Colorado had four hits in the fifth, including Galarraga’s homer, and built a 7-2 lead.

Philadelphia 7, San Diego 1--Curt Schilling performed his role of stopper perfectly, throwing a two-hitter at San Diego that ended the Phillies’ five-game losing streak.

Schilling (4-0) struck out eight and was backed by home runs from Darren Daulton, Mickey Morandini and Gregg Jefferies in improving his record to 3-0 after a Philadelphia loss. The Phillies had scored only seven runs during their losing streak.

After Eddie Williams doubled to lead off the second inning, Schilling retired 16 batters in a row until Ken Caminiti homered with one out in the seventh.

Atlanta 4, Chicago 3--Marquis Grissom, dropped to second in the batting order behind rookie Brian Kowitz, hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and John Smoltz scattered five hits in seven innings for the Braves at Atlanta.

Kevin Roberson had three hits, including his third homer of the season, and Rick Wilkins hit a solo homer for the Cubs, but both were among the four batters Mark Wohlers struck out in the ninth inning in earning his second save. Shawon Dunston reached first base on a wild pitch after swinging on strike three.

Pittsburgh 7, Cincinnati 3--Pitcher Jon Lieber blew a seventh-inning lead, but for a change the Pirates made it up with four runs in the final two innings at Cincinnati.

Dave Clark doubled home two runs as part of a three-run eighth inning, and Mark Johnson hit the second of his two solo homers in the ninth to end Pittsburgh’s season-high five-game losing streak.

It was only the second Pirate victory in their last 13 games in Cincinnati and the first for Lieber (2-5) in four starts against the Reds.

Florida 8, Houston 3--John Burkett (4-5) ended a four-game losing streak with six strong innings and Greg Colbrunn hit a three-run home run in the first inning for the Marlins at Houston.

Burkett (4-5) increased his lifetime record to 5-1 in the Astrodome, although he gave up homers to Jeff Bagwell and Scott Servais.

Gary Sheffield also homered for Florida.