Unlikely Heroes Lift Braves Past Rockies

Bring a team into Colorado’s Coors Field and there’s no telling who the hitting stars are going to be.

Like Atlanta Brave shortstop Jose Hernandez, who drove in five runs Monday night. Or catcher Eddie Perez, who hit two two-run homers.

The unlikely offensive stars led the Braves to a 14-6 victory over the Rockies to help Greg Maddux (15-6) win his fifth in a row. Maddux, whose earned-run average rose to 3.66, gave up five runs and 12 hits in six innings.

Hernandez had a three-run homer and a two-run single.

Arizona 10, Chicago 3--Sammy Sosa hit his 47th home run to tie Mark McGwire for the major-league lead, although the Cubs lost at Phoenix.

The NL West-leading Diamondbacks were fueled by some home run power of their own, Matt Williams hitting two.

Winning pitcher Randy Johnson (12-8) struck out 11--his sixth consecutive start in double figures and 19th this season.

New York 4, San Diego 3--Edgardo Alfonzo homered in the 10th inning at San Diego on a night when the Padres managed to get only two hits.

Met rookie Octavio Dotel, given a 2-0 lead on home runs by Mike Piazza and Rickey Henderson, took a no-hit bid into the seventh. But after two walks to start the inning, Phil Nevin hit a three-run homer.

Houston 2, Milwaukee 0--Jose Lima (16-7) gave up only two hits in eight-plus innings at Houston, enabling him to improve to 8-0 against the Brewers with a 1.60 ERA in 10 career games.

The Brewers haven’t scored in 21 innings.

San Francisco 7, Montreal 4--Rookie right-hander Joe Nathan (3-2), recalled from the minor leagues earlier in the day, gave up three hits in 6 1/3 innings at San Francisco to get the victory.

Montreal’s Vladimir Guerrero extended his hitting streak to a club-record 22 games.

Cincinnati 9, Pittsburgh 2--Juan Guzman (2-1) overcame two home runs by former Blue Jay teammate Ed Sprague at Cincinnati to enable the NL Central-leading Reds to remain three percentage points ahead of Houston.