For an Encore, Davis Hits Another Grand Slam

A little reverse psychology worked wonders for Eric Davis, who became the 18th player in major league history to hit a grand slam in consecutive games.

Davis, who has seven career grand slams, became the first to hit slams in back-to-back games since 1993 as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Giants, 12-6, at San Francisco on Sunday night.

“When you come up with the bases loaded, you have a tendency to want to hit the ball too hard,” Davis said. “From the time I took batting practice today, everybody was saying, ‘Don’t hit another grand slam, don’t hit another grand slam.’

“And then when that situation was there, I was trying to back it out of my mind that I hit one the day before.”

Davis, who hit a grand slam in the seventh inning of Cincinnati’s 9-7 victory Saturday, gave the Reds a 10-3 lead with his seventh-inning slam Sunday off reliever Jeff Juden.

He became the first player to hit a slam in consecutive games since Dan Gladden for Detroit in 1993.

Montreal 5, Houston 0--Henry Rodriguez homered for the second consecutive day and drove in another run with a double as the Expos took advantage of three errors to win at Houston.

The Astros’ errors, all in the first four innings, led to three unearned runs as Montreal took a 4-0 lead.

Mark Grudzielanek reached on shortstop Orlando Miller’s throwing error in the first inning and scored on a double by Rodriguez. Grudzielanek reached again in the third on Miller’s fielding error and scored on Mike Lansing’s double. Moises Alou scored on catcher Rick Wilkins error in the fourth.

San Diego 10, St. Louis 4--Wally Joyner hit a two-run homer that helped chase Alan Benes (3-2) after two innings and the Padres defeated the Cardinals at San Diego, avoiding their first three-game losing streak this season.

Joey Hamilton (6-1) joined Atlanta’s John Smoltz as the only six-game winners in the majors. He won his third consecutive start, allowing four runs and five hits in seven innings.

Colorado 5, Florida 4--Dante Bichette singled home the winning run with one out in the ninth inning, and the Rockies defeated the Marlins at Denver for their fourth consecutive victory.

Pinch-hitter Trenidad Hubbard drew a one-out walk from Yorkis Perez (0-1) in the ninth. Kurt Miller relieved and gave up a single to Eric Young that moved Hubbard to third. After an intentional walk to Ellis Burks loaded the bases, Bichette singled.

The Marlins, who tied the game, 4-4, on Jeff Conine’s two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth, lost their fifth in a row.

Atlanta 11, Philadelphia 8--David Justice homered twice and drove in four runs, and John Smoltz won his sixth consecutive decision as the Braves won at Atlanta.

Fred McGriff went four for four with a homer and a triple, and Ryan Klesko hit his 12th homer for the Braves. Eduardo Perez had three of Atlanta’s 18 hits and two RBIs.

Smoltz (6-1) retired the first 14 batters before Pete Incaviglia homered, and the Braves led, 9-1, after five innings.

Chicago 5, New York 4--For the second time in three days, Sammy Sosa hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Cubs over the Mets at Chicago.

Sosa broke a window in a building across Waveland Avenue, beyond the left-field bleachers, with his leadoff homer in the ninth. His shot on a 3-1 pitch from Jerry DiPoto (1-1) was his second home run of the game.

Friday, Sosa hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Paul Wilson--also onto Waveland Avenue--rallying the Cubs to a 4-2 victory.