Walker’s Day Anything but Rocky

Larry Walker and the Colorado Rockies had a record-setting day--and it didn’t come at Coors Field.

Walker hit a career-high three home runs and the Rockies connected a team-record seven times--on the road, no less--in a 15-3 romp Saturday over the Expos at Montreal.

Walker, who leads the majors with six homers, became the second player this season to hit three in a game. The New York Yankees’ Tino Martinez turned the trick Wednesday at Seattle.

“There’s no way to explain it,” Walker said. “I’m happy with the way I’m swinging the bat well right now.”

Walker hit solo shots in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings but did not get a chance to tie the major league record of four in a game. He left the game in the eighth for a defensive replacement, and John Vander Wal batted in his spot in the ninth.

Walker, who played his first six major league seasons for Montreal, finished four for five with five runs batted in.

Andres Galarraga, Dante Bichette, Ellis Burks and Vinny Castilla also homered for Colorado.

“Can you imagine if this game was at Coors Field?” Expo Manager Felipe Alou asked. “They may have won, 40-3.”

Florida 4, Cincinnati 3--Edgar Renteria tied the score in the ninth inning with an inside-the-park homer and delivered a run-scoring single in the 11th to lift the Marlins over the Reds at Miami.

Luis Castillo led off the inning with a walk, stole second and continued to third when catcher Brook Fordyce’s throw rolled behind second base. Castillo scored with none out on Renteria’s fly over a drawn-in outfield.

Kevin Jarvis (0-1), who entered the game in the 10th, took the loss. Robb Nen pitched a scoreless 11th to earn the victory, retiring Reggie Sanders and Ruben Sierra with a runner at second.

The Marlins tied it, 3-3, when Renteria led off the ninth with an inside-the-park home run against closer Jeff Shaw. Center fielder Deion Sanders and right fielder Sanders collided trying to catch Renteria’s fly, and the ball rolled to the wall as he scored without a play.

Cincinnati scored twice in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. The rally began with a two-out single by Bret Boone, ending a streak of 17 consecutive batters retired by 22-year-old Tony Saunders in his major league debut.

Fordyce’s run-scoring double scored Boone and knocked out Saunders. Pinch-hitter Eduardo Perez followed with a run-scoring single off reliever Jay Powell.

Houston 6, St. Louis 2--The Cardinals fell to 0-5 for the fifth time in franchise history with the loss at Houston.

The defending NL Central Division champions, who lost their first three games of the season at Montreal, dropped their second in a row at Houston.

Trailing, 2-1, in the fourth, James Mouton and Jeff Bagwell hit consecutive singles before rookie Bob Abreu hit a run-scoring single and Tony Eusebio had a run-scoring groundout to put Houston ahead, 3-2.

Mouton hit his first homer of the season off loser Donovan Osborne in the fifth inning to make it 4-2, and Eusebio’s run-scoring single in the sixth put Houston ahead, 5-2.

Delino DeShields hit a home run on Sid Fernandez’s second pitch of the game for St. Louis. But Fernandez, who pitched only 16 2/3 innings in spring training because of high blood pressure and a sore biceps, picked up the victory by giving up four hits in five innings.

Ramon Garcia pitched the final four innings for his first save.

San Diego 4, Philadelphia 1--Sterling Hitchcock, making his first National League start, gave up one hit in eight innings as the Padres won at San Diego.

Hitchcock, acquired in an off-season trade with Seattle, gave up only Rico Brogna’s double in the fifth inning. The left-hander struck out five and walked one.

Hitchcock left for a pinch-hitter in the eighth, and Trevor Hoffman finished the combined one-hitter by striking out the side in the ninth for his first save.

Quilvio Veras drove in two runs and Rickey Henderson went two for three with two runs and two walks for the Padres.

San Diego scored two runs in the second inning off Michael Mimbs. Chris Gomez singled with one out, and one out later, Rickey Henderson walked. Veras followed by slicing a two-run double down the right-field line.

Atlanta 8, Chicago 5--After nearly four hours of rain at Atlanta, umpires suspended the game after 6 1/2 innings. It is scheduled to resume today.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Result Larry Walker Colorado 4 for 5, 3 HR, 5 RBI Win Edgar Renteria Florida 3 for 6, inside-the-park HR Win Rickey Henderson San Diego 2 for 3, 2 runs, 2 walks Win

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance VanLandingham San Francisco 7 innings, two hits, 5 strikeouts Rick Reed New York 7 innings, 3 hits, 3 strikeouts Sterling Hitchcock San Diego 8 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 5 strikeouts

Player Result VanLandingham ND Rick Reed ND Sterling Hitchcock Win

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