Benson Makes Pitch to Stay in Rotation

Kris Benson isn’t going to give up his spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rotation without a battle.

The rookie right-hander gave up three hits in 6 2/3 shutout innings in a 7-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night at St. Louis. It was his first victory since his major league debut, but his starting days might be over if Francisco Cordova is ready to return from a shoulder injury.

Manager Gene Lamont said he didn’t know when Benson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft, would pitch next or in what capacity.

“I knew this was going to be a big game, because I had heard things like that,” Benson said. “I just wanted to go out there and show them I still have what it takes.

“If I do get moved down, I wanted to go off on a good note. Like I did in spring training, I wanted to make it a tough decision for them.”

Benson (2-2), who made the team with an 0.75 earned-run average in spring training, struck out four and walked five to win for the first time since April 9. Lamont didn’t mind the five walks.

“I don’t think it’s something that should be unexpected,” Lamont said. “When you bring young pitchers to the big leagues, as a rule part of the process is they’re going to be a little wild, especially if they’re hard throwers.”

Brian Giles had three hits, including a grand slam.

Kevin Young extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games with two hits. He also kept his RBI streak alive at eight games with a run-scoring groundout in the first.

Jose Jimenez (2-3) lasted five innings and gave up seven runs, six earned, and nine hits for St. Louis. In his last four starts, Jimenez has given up 20 earned runs in 21 1/3 innings.

Atlanta 11, San Diego 1--Tom Glavine earned a measure of revenge against the Padres, the team that beat him twice in the National League championship series, and Ryan Klesko drove in three runs on three extra-base hits at San Diego.

Glavine (2-3) gave up five hits in seven innings to win his second decision in a row and had two run-scoring singles. He scored on Chipper Jones’ three-run double in the six-run eighth, which came after shortstop Damian Jackson made a bad flip to second baseman Quilvio Veras for an error on what would have been the third out.

Klesko fell a single short of hitting for the cycle, going three for four and scoring twice. He had an run-scoring double in the fourth, hit his third homer leading off the sixth and an run-scoring triple in the eighth.

Glavine had a shutout going until George Arias homered to left-center with one out in the seventh. Glavine has given up two earned runs in his last 20 1/3 innings after giving up 20 in his first 27 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

New York 4, Arizona 2--Masato Yoshii gave up two hits through six shutout innings before a cracked fingernail ended his day at Phoenix as the Mets ended a three-game losing streak.

John Olerud and Matt Franco homered and the Mets’ bullpen depth made up for closer John Franco’s miserable ninth-inning performance.

Yoshii (2-3) has pitched 12 consecutive scoreless innings after a shaky start to the season.

Luis Gonzalez singled in the ninth inning, extending his Arizona-record hitting streak at 21 games, the longest in the major leagues this season.

Yoshii didn’t allow a runner past second base and retired the last 12 batters he faced. He struck out one, walked one and threw 77 pitches before being replaced by a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Philadelphia 7, Colorado 2--Jon Bennett survived Coors Field and his first major league start as the Phillies hit five home runs in Denver.

Mike Lieberthal had his second career two-homer game, and Scott Rolen, Rico Brogna and Ron Gant also homered for the Phillies, who shut down the Rockies for the second consecutive day.

After scoring 25 runs in the last two games of its road trip, Colorado has managed three in two games against Philadelphia.

Bennett (1-0) gave up eight hits and two runs--homers by Dante Bichette and Todd Helton--in five innings. He struck out four and walked one in his NL debut.

Colorado starter Brian Bohanon (5-1) struggled with his control, walking five in seven innings as he fell short in his bid to become the first Rockies pitcher to win six games in six starts.

San Francisco 6, Milwaukee 4--The Giants came from behind for the 11th time in their 19 victories after spotting the Brewers four first-inning runs at San Francisco.

After the first, Kirk Rueter gave up one hit in his next six innings.

Rueter (2-1) gave up four runs, only one of them earned. He pitched at least six innings for the third consecutive start after not doing so in his first four.

Robb Nen pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th save.

Brad Woodard (2-3) gave up six runs on 12 hits for Milwaukee.

Montreal 6, Houston 5--Shane Andrews hit a three-run homer and Ugueth Urbina recorded three strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth at Houston as the Expos ended the Astros’ three-game winning streak.

Montreal, which won for the third time in its last 15 games, sent 11 batters to the plate against Houston starter Shane Reynolds (5-2) in the second inning.

Montreal starter Dustin Hermanson (3-3) ended a personal three-game losing streak, and Urbina struck out Derek Bell, Jeff Bagwell and Carl Everett in the ninth for his fifth save in seven opportunities.