The Beat Goes On in ’96 for Maddux

Fernando Valenzuela outpitched Greg Maddux, and the Padres handed the four-time Cy Young winner his third straight loss Tuesday night,beating the Braves, 2-1, at San Diego.

Valenzuela (7-7), the 1981 Cy Young winner, shut out the Braves on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.

Doug Bochtler preserved a 1-0 lead in the seventh, getting Ryan Klesko to ground into a double play with two runners on base.

Trevor Hoffman gave up a leadoff home run to Chipper Jones, his 23rd, to start the ninth but recovered to earn his 24th save.

Maddux (10-9) has lost three in a row for the first time in three seasons. He allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Montreal 3, Colorado 1--Ugueth Urbina and two relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Mike Lansing and Rondell White homered at Montreal as the Expos handed the Rockies their 13th loss in their last 16 road games.

“You really can’t say how you feel,” Colorado Manager Don Baylor said. “Frustrated. Disappointed. Most players are aware of what’s going on. It’s been going on the entire season, and we haven’t made one adjustment.”

The Rockies, 38-18 at Coors Field and averaging 8.25 runs per game, have scored only two runs in their last three road games. Colorado averages 3.48 runs per game on the road, and its 16-34 road record is third-worst in the majors.

Urbina (6-3) gave up only an unearned run on two hits, striking out five and walking four over seven innings. Dave Veres relieved to start the eighth and Mel Rojas, who allowed a leadoff single to Andres Galarraga in the ninth, got four outs for his 18th save.

Philadelphia 8, St. Louis 7--Mickey Morandini’s bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Kevin Stocker with the winning run as the Phillies defeated the Cardinals at Philadelphia.

The Phillies had a season-high 22 hits, including four each by Ricky Otero and Ruben Amaro.

Amaro, who earlier hit his first homer of the season, led off the ninth with a single against T.J. Mathews (1-4). Stocker bunted into a forceout at second base, but singles by pinch-hitter David Doster and Otero loaded the bases.

Morandini followed with his game-winning hit to left field. Ken Ryan (3-4) pitched two innings for the victory.

Chicago 4, San Francisco 0--Sammy Sosa hit his league-leading 36th homer and added an RBI sinas the Cubs won at Chicago.

William VanLandingham (6-11) held the Cubs hitless for three innings. But one out after Brian McRae walked in the fourth, Sosa launched a 465-foot homer that landed in the street beyond the left-center bleachers.

Sosa, who matched last year’s career-high homer total, has 10 home runs and 28 RBIs in the last 21 games.

Cincinnati 5, Houston 4--Eric Davis singled home the winning run with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Reds past the Astros at Cincinnati.

Hal Morris singled with one out off Terry Clark (0-2) and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Barry Larkin was walked intentionally, Davis followed with a single down the left-field line that easily scored Morris.

New York 5-4, Pittsburgh 4-3--Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza, playing for the first time since being traded from Cleveland, delivered key hits to give the Mets a doubleheader sweep of the Pirates in New York.

Todd Hundley led off the 12th inning with his 30th home run, giving the Mets victory in the second game. Espinoza had an RBI-single in the ninth that tied it.

Baerga, in his first at-bat since Monday’s trade, hit a pinch-single to cap a two-run eighth inning that carried the Mets to the victoryin the opener.

Baerga, who arrived at Shea Stadium before the game in a white limousine, dropped a two-out bloop single to left field that drove in Carl Everett with the go-ahead run.

Baerga, a three-time All-Star second baseman, was traded with Espinoza for infielders Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino. Baerga remained in the game in the ninth inning, playing third base for the first time since Aug. 21, 1991.