NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Expos’ Perez Puts on a Show and Wins Too

Carlos Perez is proving his pitching is as good as his antics.

The flamboyant Montreal rookie, who leads the National League in earned-run average, gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings as the Expos defeated the Atlanta Braves, 11-2, Tuesday night at Montreal.

“I’ve beat the best organizations in the major leagues,” said Perez (6-1), brother of New York Yankee pitcher Melido Perez and former major leaguer Pascual Perez. “I’ve faked out Los Angeles, the Giants and now the Braves. Next time, I’ll have to change something to fake them out again.”

Perez matched his career high with seven strikeouts and walked two, but his ERA increased to 1.88. He retired seven in a row before being relieved to open the eighth.

“I understand I’m a rookie, but in my mind I’m not a rookie,” Perez said.

Atlanta starter Kent Mercker (3-3) gave up six runs in three-plus innings as the Braves lost their third in a row.

Tony Tarasco, David Segui and Sean Berry each drove in two runs as the Expos won their fourth consecutive game.

“We got some people swinging the bat real well,” said Montreal Manager Felipe Alou, whose club has scored 40 runs on 56 hits during the four-game winning streak.

San Francisco 8, Chicago 4--Mike Benjamin had his second consecutive four-hit game and Mark Portugal pitched seven strong innings as the Giants handed the Cubs’ Jaime Navarro his first loss.

The Giants snapped a season-high four-game losing streak, while the Cubs have lost seven of eight, a stretch in which they have managed only 23 runs.

Navarro (5-1), suffering his first loss since last August when he was with Milwaukee, gave up nine hits and five runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Portugal (4-1) gave up only three hits and one walk in seven innings. He has given up only six hits to Chicago in 14 2/3 innings this season.

Colorado 6, Cincinnati 4--Andres Galarraga homered twice and drove in three runs, helping Kevin Ritz and the Rockies snap the Reds’ five-game winning streak at Denver.

“It’s starting to feel fun again,” said Galarraga, whose 3-for-3 performance raised his batting average to .263. “Tonight I hit the ball hard and wasn’t swinging at bad pitches.”

The Rockies won for the 10th time in 13 games.

Colorado’s Dante Bichette had a single, double and triple and missed hitting for the cycle by a foot when his home run bid was caught at the wall by left fielder Ron Gant in the third inning. Bichette extended his hitting streak to 19 games, longest in the majors this season.

Ritz (5-1) held the Reds to one run on three hits through six innings before tiring in the seventh.

Houston 6, Philadelphia 5--Luis Gonzalez’s three-run homer highlighted a four-run eighth inning that carried Houston to a victory at Philadelphia, ending the Astros’ six-game losing streak.

The Astros trailed, 5-2, and Phillie starter Curt Schilling (4-1) had a three-hitter going into the eighth, but Houston loaded the bases on a walk to Brian Hunter and singles by Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.

After Derek Bell’s sacrifice fly made it 5-3, Gonzalez homered.

Dave Veres (3-1), the fourth of six Houston pitchers, pitched 1 1/3 innings for the victory, and John Hudek got the last four outs for his seventh save.

New York 7, Florida 3--Jeff Kent, coming off a 10-game trip in which he batted .188, had a homer, triple and single and drove in two runs as New York snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Marlins at New York.

Rico Brogna also knocked in a pair of runs with a homer and single to support the pitching of Bret Saberhagen (2-2). Saberhagen scattered six hits while striking out 10 and walking two before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

Loser John Burkett (4-6) gave up seven runs on 12 hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.

St. Louis 3, San Diego 2--Brian Jordan’s grounder drove in the winning run in the eighth inning, and Tom Urbani gave up only three hits and a run in seven innings, leading the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Jordan’s grounder drove in Tripp Cromer, who led off the eighth with a single and advanced to third on a one-out single by Todd Zeile.

Tony Fossas (1-0), who got the final out in the top of the eighth inning, got the victory. Tom Henke pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 13th save in 13 attempts.

Brian Williams (1-4), who relieved in the eighth, took the loss.