Rockies Continue Winning Road Ways

The Colorado Rockies are best known for winning at home with offense. Now, they’re winning on the road with pitching and defense.

Colorado got plenty of both again Saturday. Starter Bill Swift pitched six scoreless innings, and third baseman Vinny Castilla made a game-saving play on the last out of the game to preserve a 4-2 victory over the Cardinals at St. Louis.

With the victory, the Rockies extended their team-record road winning streak to eight games. Colorado has not lost a road game since April 2.

Not that it was easy. The Rockies led, 4-1, going into the bottom of the ninth. But St. Louis scored a run off reliever Darren Holmes and had the bases loaded when the game ended.

Castilla bailed the Rockies out with a sparkling play on Brian Jordan’s line drive. Castilla made a back-handed stop and threw across his body to first. First baseman Andres Galarraga was parallel to the ground when he caught the throw, but stayed on the bag to nip Jordan.

“I knew the only play I had was to first, and I knew I had to get rid of it as fast as I could,” Castilla said. “Cat [Galarraga] helped me out a lot.”

Montreal 8, New York 1--Pedro Martinez struck out 10 in seven strong innings at Montreal and improved to 10-0 lifetime against the Mets as the Expos won their sixth consecutive game.

Martinez won his third start in a row. He gave up four hits and lowered his earned-run average to 0.44.

“They [the Mets] always seem to get me on days when everything is working,” said Martinez, who has given up two runs--one earned--in 20 1/3 innings, striking out 23. “It’s just a matter of one day they’ll turn it around and beat me.”

Darrin Fletcher hit a two-run homer and Joe Orsulak, who entered the game in the fourth inning after David Segui was ejected, hit a two-run double in Montreal’s five-run fifth inning.

Cincinnati 10, Philadelphia 2--Pete Schourek hit his second career homer and picked up his first victory in nearly a year as the Reds ended a five-game losing streak with a victory at Cincinnati.

Schourek (1-2) hit one of three homers off Curt Schilling (3-2) as the Reds pulled ahead, 6-0, their biggest lead since opening day. The left-hander then held on for five innings to get his first victory since May 8.

Ruben Sierra hit a three-run homer--his first with the Reds--in the eighth inning as Cincinnati rolled to its biggest run total since opening day. Hal Morris and Eddie Taubensee added two-run homers.

San Francisco 2, Houston 0--Shawn Estes pitched a two-hitter for his first major league shutout and complete game to lead the Giants to a win at Houston.

Estes (4-0) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Pat Listach led off by legging out an infield single. Listach hit a slow roller to first baseman J.T. Snow, who stumbled while fielding the ball. Estes ran over to cover, but was beaten to the bag by Listach.

“I’ll fine him for not covering first base,” San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker said. “Things like that can turn a game around.”

Estes agreed that his delay on the mound could have cost him a chance at a no-hitter.

“I thought it was a base hit,” Estes said. “J.T. made a good play. My hesitation cost me. I tried to beat him to the bag, but we tied and a tie goes to the runner.”

Estes, making his 18th career start, walked one and struck out eight in ending the Astros’ five-game winning streak.

Tony Eusebio got the Astros’ other hit, a two-out single in the eighth.

Chicago 7, Pittsburgh 6--Ryne Sandberg hit the 267th home run of his career as a second baseman to break Hall of Famer Joe Morgan’s record for most home runs at that position in the Cubs’ victory at Chicago.

Sandberg admitted he thought about the record more last season, his first back after he had voluntarily retired in June 1994. He finished with 25 home runs, two shy of Morgan’s mark, and had no doubt he’d break the record this season.

“Coming into this year, I hadn’t given it [the record] much thought,” he said. “I’ve taken it one year at a time. There was a point when I didn’t know if I was good enough to be a major league player. I’ve been through it all.”

Sandberg’s homer in the second inning pulled the Cubs within 3-1, but they had to rally to win on Sammy Sosa’s tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth.

Brian McRae opened the eighth with a single off Ricardo Rincon (2-2) and reached second on Doug Glanville’s sacrifice. Glanville was safe on a throwing error by first baseman Mark Johnson. Mark Grace then sacrificed, advancing both runners, and Sosa singled to center.

Bob Patterson (1-1) picked up the win in one inning of one-hit relief. Mel Rojas picked up his first save with one inning of relief.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

*--*

Player Team Performance Team’s Result Brian McRae Chicago 3 hits, 3 runs, triple Win Ryne Sandberg Chicago Sets record for most homers by second baseman Win Mike Lansing Montreal 3 hits, 2 doubles, home run, 2 RBIs

*--*

PITCHING

*--*

Player Team Performance Team’s Result Bill Swift Colorado 6 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 2 strikeouts Win Pete Schourek Cincinnati Gets victory and hits home run Win Pedro Martinez Montreal 7 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 10 strikeouts Win

*--*