Valenzuela, Padres Win Again

Fernando Valenzuela is as good as ever.

Valenzuela won his seventh consecutive decision, pitching seven scoreless innings Monday night to lead the San Diego Padres to a 5-1 victory over the Phillies at Philadelphia.

“I threw a lot of pitches tonight [120], but I really felt good out there,” Valenzuela said. “As long as I keep on pitching, the better my arm feels, and I’ve been going five, six, or seven innings every game.”

Valenzuela (12-7), who hasn’t lost since July 14 at Colorado, gave up six hits, struck out two and walked two.

“My curve ball was working well, and I had a good cut fastball,” he said. “I moved the ball around pretty good also.”

Wally Joyner had three hits and drove in three runs as the Padres won for the seventh time in nine games and maintained a one-game lead over the Dodgers in the West.

St. Louis 8, Houston 7--Willie McGee hit a game-winning single in the 10th inning at St. Louis as the Cardinals closed within a half-game of the Houston Astros.

St. Louis trailed, 7-3, in the fourth, but Luis Alicea reached on a bunt single off Xavier Hernandez in the eighth and scored the tying run on Ray Lankford’s double.

Doug Brocail (1-5) walked Alicea leading off the 10th and Danny Sheaffer bunted into a fielder’s choice. Miguel Mejia ran for Sheaffer and stole second, but was thrown out at the plate by left fielder James Mouton trying to score on Ozzie Smith’s single.

Smith took second on the throw, Lankford was intentionally walked and McGee singled to center. Smith slid home ahead of Brian Hunter’s throw.

Cincinnati 7, Atlanta 6--Curtis Goodwin drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded bunt single in the seventh inning as the Reds overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Braves at Cincinnati.

Cincinnati fell behind, 5-0, in the second inning before rallying for only its third victory in its last 18 games against Atlanta.

Colorado 8, Pittsburgh 3--Vinny Castilla, Walt Weiss, Dante Bichette and pitcher Kevin Ritz homered as the Rockies won at Pittsburgh.

Andres Galarraga swung at what was supposed to be ball four of an intentional walk by Matt Ruebel in the eighth. A surprised Jeff King booted the ground ball to second for an error, allowing Weiss to score and leading to Bichette’s three-run homer.

Florida 4, Chicago 3--Marc Valdes earned his first major league victory in his 10th start as the Marlins won for the ninth time in their last 10 games at Miami.

Montreal 4, San Francisco 3--F.P. Santangelo hit a sacrifice fly and Lenny Webster singled home the winning run as the Expos rallied from an 11th-inning deficit at Montreal.