Cubs’ Andrews Continues Power Surge

Shane Andrews is on quite the wild ride, and he’s going to enjoy it as long as he can.

Andrews homered twice Wednesday, including his second three-run homer in as many at-bats, as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves, 11-4, at Chicago.

The homers gave Andrews five for the season and 12 runs batted in, putting him--for a few hours, at least--among the National League leaders.

“I’m feeling good at the plate. I just want to keep it rolling,” he said. “It’s awful early, though.”

Glenallen Hill added another three-run shot, and Ricky Gutierrez hit a solo homer for the Cubs, who won consecutive games for the first time. Kyle Farnsworth (1-1) scattered four runs and six hits in seven innings, and got a standing ovation when he left.

Andrews isn’t quite sure what’s behind his sudden power surge, and he’s not about to question it. He hit a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth in Monday’s home opener.

Houston 7, St. Louis 5--Richard Hidalgo homered, doubled twice and drove in three runs at Houston as the Astros ended the Cardinals’ four-game winning streak.

Hidalgo hit his fourth home run and also walked as the Astros ended a three-game slide. He hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh.

Former Angel Jim Edmonds, leading the majors with a .536 batting average, hit his fourth homer and also doubled, giving him nine consecutive hits. His streak ended in the seventh when he struck out looking against Yorkis Perez (1-0).

Edmonds walked in the sixth to tie the club record for consecutive times reaching base (12) set by Chick Hafey in 1929.

Mark McGwire did not play, sitting out because of back sprain for the third time in nine games.

Philadelphia 8, New York 5--The Phillies’ victory at Philadelphia was their fifth in a row over the Mets, adding to Mike Hampton’s woes.

The Mets lost their third in a row overall and fifth in six games. Not even Hampton, their new ace, could get them out of their doldrums.

In his shortest outing in two years, Hampton (0-3) gave up six runs, six hits and five walks--one intentional, during which he nearly threw a wild pitch--in three innings. Struck in the right knee by Doug Glanville’s liner in the third, he did not come out for the fourth.

Hampton has a 6.56 earned-run average and 17 walks in 13 2/3 innings and matched a career high with his third consecutive loss. He was 22-4 for the Houston Astros last season and runner-up for the National League Cy Young Award.

San Diego 4, Arizona 2--Ed Sprague delivered again for the Padres, getting a pinch-hit, two-run bloop single in the seventh inning at San Diego.

On Tuesday night, Sprague hit a tying solo homer in the ninth inning, then homered again leading off the 13th to give the Padres a 3-2 victory.

Colorado 7, Cincinnati 5--Todd Helton and pitcher Masato Yoshii each hit two-run singles for the Rockies at Denver.

Yoshii, making his Coors Field debut, gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. Reliever Jose Jimenez (2-0) pitched one inning as the Rockies took two of three games from the Reds.

Florida 11, Milwaukee 4--Alex Gonzalez’s two-run single in the fifth inning keyed the Marlins’ victory at frigid Milwaukee.

The temperature was 41 degrees at game time, and it dropped precipitously as bitter winds whipped off Lake Michigan and turned the field into an icebox.

Many players wore several layers of clothing, and the cold made fielders less sure-handed and left several pitchers unable to maintain consistent control. Derrek Lee homered in the Florida eighth and rounded the bases while blowing into his hands to keep them warm.

The announced attendance was 7,007, though no more than 2,000 fans were in the stands.

Pittsburgh 6, Montreal 4--John Vander Wal homered for the second time in three pinch-hit at-bats, a three-run drive that rallied the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

Vander Wal’s sixth-inning shot against reliever Miguel Batista overcame a 4-3 deficit and was his 15th pinch homer, his second in nine days.