Leiter Ends Flaherty’s Streak at 27 Games

It took Al Leiter, the league’s stingiest pitcher, to stop the season’s longest hitting streak in the Florida Marlins’ 8-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday at Miami.

Leiter, limiting opposing batters to a .193 average, gave up two hits in 6 2/3 innings, and helped end John Flaherty’s hitting streak at 27 games.

Flaherty’s string was the longest in the NL since Jerome Walton hit in 30 consecutive game in 1989. Flaherty’s streak was the second-longest by a catcher, trailing only Benito Santiago’s 34-gamer in 1987.

“I had a nice run,” said Flaherty, traded from the Detroit Tigers on June 18. “It was fun. When you face a guy like Leiter, you have to battle for your hits.”

Flaherty, who was 42-for-112 during the streak for a .375 average, flied out, walked, and popped up against Leiter. In his last at-bat against reliever Jay Powell in the eighth inning, Flaherty grounded to short.

“To hit in that many straight games you have to be lucky,” said Flaherty, who is hitting .344. “I should say I have to be lucky because I’m not that good a hitter.”

Leiter (11-9) tied his career high in wins and the Marlins’ club mark for left-handers. After pitching a no-hitter earlier this season, Leiter has now given up only five hits in his last three starts spanning 18 2/3 innings. However, he hasn’t pitched more than seven innings since June 28.

“It seems like there’s a blip in the road every game to make it frustrating,” Leiter said. “Today was the fourth.”

A day after San Diego routed the Marlins, 20-12, Leiter combined with Powell and Robb Nen on the two-hitter.

“With left-handers sometimes it sometimes takes longer for them [to get control],” Marlin Manager John Boles said. “I’m not going to say he’s going to be another Sandy Koufax, but he’s going to be a tremendous pitcher.”

San Francisco 10, Atlanta 3--Rookie Shawn Estes outpitched John Smoltz, and Barry Bonds hit his 27th homer and drove in four runs as the Giants beat the Braves at San Francisco.

Smoltz (17-5), leading the majors in wins and strikeouts, is 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA in three starts this season against San Francisco. The Giants are the only team to beat him twice.

The Giants won three of four games for their first series win against Atlanta since May 1993.

Chicago 7, Colorado 5--Sammy Sosa had four hits, including his league-leading 35th home run, as the Cubs beat the Rockies at Denver.

The teams combined for 67 runs in the four-game series. Sunday marked the first time the winning team scored fewer than nine runs in the six games played in Denver this season--the Cubs won four of those games.

Jim Bullinger (4-8), whose last victory came May 17 against Florida, gave up five runs and seven hits in six innings.

St. Louis 6, Montreal 4--Ozzie Smith singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Cardinals beat the Expos at St. Louis.

The Cardinals finished their 11-game homestand with a 4-7 record. The Expos went 5-7 on a 12-game trip, their longest of the season.

New York 7, Cincinnati 1--Bobby Jones pitched a three-hitter and Todd Hundley hit his 29th homer as the Mets beat the Reds at Cincinnati to end a six-game losing streak.

Hundley’s solo homer started a five-run sixth inning. The Mets tied a team record by homering in their 12th game in a row.

Jones (9-6) walked one and struck out five in his second complete game. The Mets went 1-5 on their trip that began with three games in Colorado.

Pittsburgh 12, Philadelphia 8-- Orlando Merced hit a pair of two-run homers and Jason Kendall broke a tie in the seventh inning as the Pirates beat the Phillies at Pittsburgh.

The Pirates overcame an eight-run fourth inning that included Gregg Jefferies’ grand slam to hand the Phillies their 14th loss in 16 games. Pittsburgh has won six of seven and had its first winning homestand of the season, winning seven of 10 games.