Hamilton, Homers Enough for San Diego

Joey Hamilton wasn’t particularly pleased with his overall numbers, but after waiting almost a month he was glad to get victory No. 9.

Rickey Henderson, Steve Finley and John Flaherty hit home runs, helping Hamilton and the San Diego Padres defeat the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, on Sunday at San Diego.

Hamilton (9-4) struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings. He walked four, hit two batters and gave up home runs to Ryne Sandberg and Jose Hernandez, but the Padres backed him with three double plays. It was his first victory since May 27.

“It’s been a hard one to get,” he said. “I was on a roll at the beginning of the year where I was throwing the ball well. “But I’ve been in a rut the last four or five starts.”

Trevor Hoffman pitched two perfect innings, striking out three, for his 13th save.

Hamilton’s earned-run average has grown to 4.51, but he feels he better understands how to win.

“Teams pay you to win whether you do it with a 2.50 ERA or a 4.50,” he said. “I’m doing it with a 4.50, but I feel I’m pitching as well and getting more breaks.”

With the Padres ahead, 3-2, in the fifth, Henderson and Finley hit solo home runs off Amaury Telemaco (3-4). Henderson hit his fifth homer and one out later, Finley tied his career high with his 11th.

Flaherty’s two-run homer, his second in two games, put San Diego ahead 2-0 in the second.

“We’re starting to play the way we did when we were in first place,” Finley said. “We’re hitting the ball better, getting better pitching and our defense is far improved.”

Atlanta 1, San Francisco 0--Tom Glavine gave up three hits over 7 2/3 innings and Chipper Jones homered for the game’s only run at Atlanta, lifting the Braves to their sixth consecutive victory.

Glavine (8-4) carried a two-hitter into the eighth before giving up a leadoff single to Keith Williams. Pinch runner Marvin Benard was sacrificed to second and took third on a fly out, but was stranded at third when Mark Wohlers replaced Glavine and struck out Robby Thompson looking to end the threat.

Glavine struck out six, including Barry Bonds and Matt Williams twice apiece, to win for the seventh time in eight decisions.

Jones led off the fourth inning with his 14th homer, a 420-foot shot to center.

Montreal 3, St. Louis 2--Jeff Fassero gave up three hits in 8 2/3 innings and Moises Alou homered to snap a sixth-inning tie, sending the Expos to the victory at St. Louis.

Fassero (7-5) gave up a first-inning bunt single to Royce Clayton and had retired 13 consecutive before giving up a two-out, pinch-hit single to Ozzie Smith in the eighth.

The left-hander was within one out of his second career two-hitter when Gary Gaetti hit his 300th career homer.

Alou drove in two runs and scored twice as the Expos won for the fifth time in seven games. He snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth with his 11th home run, a shot to center field off Donovan Osborne (6-4).

Colorado 7, Philadelphia 4--Ellis Burks hit two homers, giving him six in the last five games as the Rockies avoided a series sweep with the victory at Philadelphia.

Burks, who has 19 homers, went three for four with four runs batted in and scored twice, increasing his league-leading total to 67. Vinny Castilla went two for four, including a homer, and added two runs batted in.

Jayhawk Owens also homered for the Rockies, who tied a franchise record by homering in their 17th consecutive game.

Marvin Freeman (5-4) got the victory, giving up nine hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Pittsburgh 5, Florida 3--Charlie Hayes had a two-run single and slow-footed Mark Johnson stole home as the Pirates scored four times in the first inning to defeat the Marlins at Miami.

The Pirates’ four runs in the first all came with two out. Hayes delivered a bases-loaded single, and the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Johnson scored without a throw as part of a double steal--his first stolen base of the year.

Catcher Charles Johnson’s errant throw to second on the double steal sent Hayes to third, and he scored on Jay Bell’s infield single.

Pat Rapp (3-10) lasted just three innings. He leads the league in defeats.