Padres Continue to Climb

The once-ugly San Diego Padres are playing like champions these days.

The Padres defeated the Colorado Rockies, 8-7, Monday night to extend their winning streak to 10, the longest in the majors this year.

It wasn’t easy, though, as Colorado closed a four-run deficit with two solo home runs by Dante Bichette and a two-run shot by Larry Walker.

The four-game sweep allowed the Padres, as they prepare for a three-game series against the Dodgers, to move up a spot in the West for the second day in a row, leap-frogging the Rockies into third place. The streak is one short of the team record that the Padres matched June 7-19, 1998, en route to their first pennant in 14 years.

The Padres also stole nine bases, the most in the majors this season, to shatter the old team mark of seven. Damian Jackson, who came over from Cincinnati with Reggie Sanders in the Greg Vaughn trade before the season, matched the club individual record with five, including home on the back end of a double steal in the sixth.

New York 10, Florida 4--Robin Ventura hit three-run homers in consecutive at-bats and Al Leiter won his fifth consecutive start to lead the Mets at Miami.

Edgardo Alfonzo added a double and two-run triple as the Mets won for the 16th time in 21 games. Florida has lost 11 of 13 overall and is 2-8 against New York this season.

Leiter (7-5) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking three.

Atlanta 13, Montreal 5--Andruw Jones homered twice, including a three-run drive off Miguel Batista (6-5) in a five-run first for the Braves at Montreal.

“I had some pitches to hit and I just tried to hit them hard somewhere and I got home runs,” Jones said. “I think when you’re really not trying to hit a home run that’s when you’re going to hit it.”

Kevin Millwood (9-4) won his the third consecutive start, giving up five runs--two earned--and seven hits in five innings.

Pittsburgh 3, Philadelphia 2--Defensive replacement Adrian Brown singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and Greg Hansell (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th to lead the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

“It’s very important for me to come through when I get a chance,” said Brown, who came into the game in the ninth to replace right fielder Brant Brown. “From the first pitch, I’m ready. I stay ready even if I don’t get a chance.”