Flaherty, Padres Slam Marlins

Every time Florida Marlin Manager John Boles looked up, he saw San Diego Padre players circling the bases.

“This might be the topper of them all,” Boles said.

John Flaherty capped a long and memorable evening when he hit a go-ahead grand slam in a nine-run eighth inning as San Diego rallied from a six-run deficit to defeat Florida, 20-12, at Miami.

The four-hour, 10-minute game was the longest night game in NL history, surpassing a 4:02 game between the Milwaukee Braves and San Francisco Giants on June 22, 1962. The Padres scored their most runs ever and it was the most runs ever against the Marlins.

San Diego became the sixth team to score at least 20 runs this season. That’s the first time that has happened since seven teams did it in 1929.

With the score tied, 10-10, Flaherty connected against Terry Mathews (2-4) for his 11th homer this season and first career slam.

Flaherty extended his hitting streak to 27 games, the longest in the majors this season and the second-longest ever by a catcher. The record is held by Benito Santiago, who had a 34-game streak for the Padres in 1987.

San Francisco 7, Atlanta 5--Matt Williams and David McCarty hit back-to-back home runs in a seven-run fourth inning as the Giants overpowered the Braves at San Francisco.

Williams’ 22nd home run came after Barry Bonds singled to start the fourth against Brad Woodall (0-2). McCarty followed with his fifth home run.

Mark Gardner (9-3) lasted into the eighth, giving up six hits and all five runs.

Colorado 10, Chicago 6--Andres Galarraga drove in five runs with a single and a pair of two-run homers at Denver, helping the Rockies end the Cubs’ four-game winning streak.

Quinton McCracken and Vinny Castilla also homered for Colorado, and Mark Thompson (4-7) pitched seven innings to win for the first time since May 19. He gave up four runs and six hits.

McCracken’s home run was his first in the majors.

St. Louis 6, Montreal 3--Andy Benes won his sixth straight decision, leading the Cardinals past the Expos at St. Louis.

Ray Lankford walked three times, stole three bases and scored three runs.

Mike Dyer (5-3), making his first start since 1989, gave up four runs and five hits in two-plus innings.

Cincinnati 7, New York 5--Lenny Harris singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning at Cincinnati as the Reds rallied for their sixth straight victory.

Met starter Mark Clark (10-8) helped start the Reds’ rally by hitting leadoff batter Jeff Branson. Branson moved to third on Willie Green’s single and scored on Thomas Howard’s infield out. Harris singled in the winner.

Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1--Terry Mulholland pitched a five-hitter at Pittsburgh for his third complete game of the season, and the Phillies won for only the second time in 15 games.

Jim Eisenreich and Todd Zeile had RBI singles, helping stop a six-game losing streak.