NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Walker Bunts for Hit, Surprising Reds, Baylor

Nobody expected it, least of all Colorado Manager Don Baylor.

Larry Walker, acting on his own, bunted for a base hit, scoring Eric Young with the decisive run in the seventh inning, as the Colorado Rockies beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4, Sunday at Coors Field.

The Rockies, who won their fourth consecutive game, remained tied with the Dodgers in the National League West race.

With one out in the seventh inning, Young drew a walk from Hector Carrasco (2-7) and took second on a wild pitch. Mike Jackson retired Mike Kingery, but Dante Bichette got an infield single. Walker then laid a bunt down the third-base line and beat it out, with Young scoring from third.

“It caught everybody by surprise--the pitcher, third baseman, everybody,” Baylor said. “It caught me by surprise. I remember only one other time seeing that play in a clutch situation. Frank Robinson did it in a pennant race. It was pretty important.”

San Francisco 8, Chicago 7--Deion Sanders tied his career high with four hits to help the Giants keep alive their slim postseason hopes as they completed a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.

Sanders doubled, singled three times and scored twice. He is batting .333 in the last 29 games.

New York 6, Montreal 2--Carl Everett and Jeff Kent hit successive home runs during a five-run third inning to help the Mets complete a sweep of the three-game series at Montreal.

Jason Isringhausen (6-2) gave up two runs in the first inning then settled down to stop the Expos.

Houston 5, Philadelphia 4--Craig Biggio scored twice and drove in the winning run, his career-high 65th run batted in, to lead the Astros at Philadelphia.

Biggio’s sacrifice fly scored Ricky Gutierrez and broke a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning.

Florida 5, Atlanta 4--Alex Arias singled with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning at Miami to keep the Braves’ magic number for clinching the NL East at two.

Terry Pendleton led off the 11th with a double against Pedro Borbon (1-2). Greg Colbrunn was intentionally walked, both runners moved up on a sacrifice and Charles Johnson was intentionally walked to bring up Arias.