Brave New World for Rockies

Dante Bichette has the right idea about Colorado’s pitching staff and that of the Atlanta Braves.

He also has the bat to prove himself wrong.

“If you told me [Rocky pitchers] would give up 20 runs against [Greg] Maddux and [Tom] Glavine and win, I’d think you were crazy,” Bichette said. “I figured we’d be doing something just to score 10 runs against their great pitchers.”

But Colorado roughed up an Atlanta ace for the second day in a row in Denver, scoring seven runs in the first inning off Glavine and later rallying to beat the Braves, 13-12, Saturday.

A day after routing Greg Maddux in a 19-8 victory, the Rockies had four home runs and 16 hits. Larry Walker hit two solo homers, Bichette had a three-run blast and Walt Weiss also homered.

But for all that hitting, the game was decided on a bases-loaded walk to Weiss in the eighth inning.

Atlanta took a 12-11 lead with three runs in the eighth.

But in the bottom half, Eric Young drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Eddie Perez. Bichette tied the game on a RBI sacrifice fly.

Walker singled and stole second. Mark Wohlers replaced Greg McMichael (3-1) and walked Andres Galarraga and gave up an infield single to Vinny Castilla. Weiss drew a four-pitch walk, forcing home the tiebreaking run.

“Walt was the perfect person in that situation because he’s not a wild swinger,” Colorado Manager Don Baylor said. “He makes you throw strikes and was taking all the way to two strikes.”

Glavine gave up nine runs--seven earned--and 12 hits in five innings. The runs and earned runs matched lifetime worsts for Glavine.

But he wound up with a no-decision, keeping his six-game winning streak intact. Last season, he pitched the first shutout in Coors Field history.

And the Braves had a chance to win with a two-run homer by Jeff Blauser and a run-scoring single by Ryan Klesko in the eighth inning.

Not since April 25-26, 1977, had the Braves allowed a total of 32 runs in two games. Back then, when Cincinnati scored 23 runs in one day and nine the next, the Braves had the likes of Buzz Capra and were the worst team in the league.

These days, led by Cy Young winners Maddux and Glavine, they’re the defending World Series champions.

San Francisco 4, St. Louis 1--Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa ordered Mark Carreon walked to get to Stan Javier, who made La Russa, his former manager with the Oakland Athletics, pay with a bases-loaded double with two out in the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie at San Francisco.

Javier had grounded out with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning.

New York 7, Florida 6--Jeff Kent went three for three and drove in three runs, and the Mets blew all but one run of a 7-1 lead in beating the Marlins in New York.

Chicago 6, Montreal 4--Brian McRae doubled three times leading off innings and scored each time for the Cubs, who won in foggy Chicago.

Before the bottom of the sixth began, umpire Bruce Froemming had Chicago outfielder Luis Gonzalez return to the field with his glove. The game continued after Cub coach Mako Oliveras hit two fungos to see if Gonzalez and Expo fielders at second base could see the ball while it was in the air.

Montreal has lost 14 of its last 21 games.

Houston 7, Philadelphia 3--Craig Biggio hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in a four-run seventh inning and Billy Wagner got his first major league victory for the Astros, who won at home.

The Astros managed only three hits against Curt Schilling over six innings but jumped on Russ Springer (1-5), who replaced Schilling to start the seventh with the score tied, 3-3.

Pittsburgh 9, San Diego 8--Al Martin’s two-run home run in the 14th inning was the decisive hit for the Pirates at San Diego.

The Pirates sent the game into extra innings on Carlos Garcia’s run-scoring triple off Padres closer Trevor Hoffman.

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Hit Hard

The Atlanta Braves’ pitching staff, which entered the week with an astounding team earned-run average of 2.61, has been battered in three of its last four games:

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Date, Opponent Runs Result Tue., New York 12 12-6 loss Fri., at Colorado 19 19-8 loss Sat., at Colorado 13 13-12 loss

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Team ERA through Saturday: 3.12