Baker Has No-Must Attitude After Loss

For the second consecutive game, a dramatic home run cost the San Francisco Giants.

Eddie Perez’s grand slam in the sixth inning broke a tie and the Atlanta Braves tied a major league record with 11 slams this season Tuesday in a 6-4 victory over the Giants.

On Monday night, Fred McGriff capped a four-run ninth inning with a two-run shot off reliever Rod Beck for a 5-4 Atlanta victory.

“It’s a blow,” said San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker, whose team has lost a season-high four in a row as they begin a crucial two-game series at home against the NL West-leading Dodgers, who have a two-game lead.

“It’s no-must anything,” Baker said. “We want to win two. We need two, but it’s no must. I don’t like that word. It’s not down to that time yet.”

The Braves tied the mark for grand slams in a season set by Seattle and Baltimore last year. Atlanta, seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive division title, lead second-place Florida by 5 1/2 games in the NL East.

Perez, in a three-for-33 slump, singled in the fourth before hitting his first career grand slam. Perez started in place of regular catcher Javy Lopez, who aggravated his strained right forearm in Monday night’s game.

“Javy told me last night to be ready to play today,” Perez said.

With the score tied, 2-2, in the sixth, Chipper Jones singled and took third when second baseman Jeff Kent let Fred McGriff’s potential double-play grounder go through his legs for a two-base error.

“I didn’t think it was going to be an easy double play,” Kent said. “That’s why I rushed it. I tried to grab the ball and tag the runner, but he stopped. Then I thought I’d flip the ball to Jose [shortstop Vizcaino]. I just tried to force the play and made a mistake.”

After Andruw Jones struck out, Wilson Alvarez walked Danny Bautista intentionally, loading the bases for Perez, who hit a fastball from Alvarez (3-3) to left-center for his sixth homer.

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