Millwood’s Perfect Six Helps Braves Beat Astros

Kevin Millwood has these six-inning no-hitters down pat. It’s those last nine outs that cause the problems.

Millwood took a perfect game into the seventh inning Thursday night, helping the Atlanta Braves to an 8-5 victory over the Houston Astros at Houston.

“I thought I did have no-hit stuff,” said Millwood, whose perfect game ended when Craig Biggio singled. “I thought that after the first inning. I felt that if I could keep up the tempo that I had a chance.”

Millwood (7-4) took a no-hitter into the seventh for the second time in three starts. On June 6, John Valentin of the Boston Red Sox broke up the bid with a seventh-inning single at Boston.

Millwood struck out seven of his first nine batters. In all, he gave up two hits--the other was a single by Bill Spiers--in seven innings with a season-high 11 strikeouts and one walk.

Millwood gave up a run-scoring groundout to Carl Everett and threw a run-scoring wild pitch.

The pitcher also drove in a pair of runs, going one for two. Javy Lopez went four for five for the Braves.

“He was locked in and not listening to anybody,” Lopez said. “I’ve never seen him like this. That’s the best seven innings I’ve ever seen pitched.”

San Francisco 3, Chicago 2--Barry Bonds, struggling since coming off the disabled list last week, broke out of his slump with a game-winning single at San Francisco.

Bonds, who had struck out in each of his previous three at-bats, singled against Dan Serafini (1-1) with runners on first and second and one out in the ninth. Robb Nen (3-1) pitched one inning for the win.

With one out in the ninth, Marvin Benard singled and Bill Mueller walked. Bonds singled on the first pitch from Serafini, who graduated from the same high school as Bonds--Junipero Serra in San Mateo, about 15 miles south of the Giants’ ballpark at Candlestick Point.

Cincinnati 2, Milwaukee 0--Pete Harnisch threw a night’s worth of pitches in five innings but held the Brewers to three hits at Cincinnati.

Ken Griffey Sr. managed the Reds while Jack McKeon was out of town to be with his wife, who had breast cancer surgery. McKeon is expected back for tonight’s game against the Brewers.

Harnisch (6-6) threw 106 pitches, including 70 strikes, but stranded seven runners. He struck out six and walked four. Scott Williamson finished with one-hit relief in a career-high four innings for his seventh save.

Philadelphia 7, San Diego 5--Paul Byrd won his 10th game and Bobby Abreu led a 12-hit attack by going three for five with two runs batted in at San Diego.

Tony Gwynn of the Padres had his first two-hit game since May 4 and is 20 hits short of 3,000. Gwynn had been nine for 46 in his last 15 games. This was his fifth game back since sitting out 19 games because of a strained left calf.

New York 4, St. Louis 3--Al Leiter won his third consecutive start and Robin Ventura went three for four with a home run at St. Louis.

Mike Piazza singled and scored twice to extend his hitting streak to 20 games, the current high in the majors. The Mets have won nine of 11 after an eight-game losing streak, and Piazza is 31 for 83 during the hot streak.

New York Manager Bobby Valentine served the final game of his two-game suspension for returning to the dugout following an ejection last week.