Triple Play Aids Johnson in 6-2 Win

Aided by the first triple play in franchise history, Randy Johnson stopped the Arizona Diamondbacks’ three-game losing streak, passing Cy Young in strikeouts Wednesday night in a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Phoenix.

Johnson (9-1) struck out 10 to reach double digits for the 10th time in 12 starts this season, raising his major league-leading total to 131 and his career mark to 2,824, five more than Young.

He also induced the Diamondbacks’ first triple play--from Mark McGwire, who later hit his major league-leading 21st home run.

With Arizona leading, 3-1, in the fifth inning, the bases were loaded when McGwire popped to Steve Finley in shallow center field.

Finley threw out Placido Polanco, who tagged up at third and tried to score. After making the tag at the plate, catcher Damian Miller threw to third, where shortstop Tony Womack tagged out Edgar Renteria trying to advance.

It was the fourth triple play in the majors this year and the second this week--Randy Velarde of the Oakland Athletics turned an unassisted triple play Monday against the New York Yankees.

Johnson, who tied David Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays for the major league lead in victories, struck out McGwire twice. He gave up two runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings, leaving after McGwire’s first homer in 30 at-bats.

San Francisco 10, Philadelphia 4--Barry Bonds hit his 465th home run and Ellis Burks homered in his 35th major league ballpark as the Giants completed a three-game sweep at San Francisco.

Ramon Martinez, filling in at shortstop for the injured Rich Aurilia, homered and drove in three runs as the Giants won their eighth in a row against the Phillies dating to last year.

Bonds’ homer tied him with Dave Winfield for 20th on the all-time list. Burks’ first homer at Pac Bell Park gave him home runs in 35 major league stadiums. Only Mark McGwire and Fred McGriff have homered in more ballparks.

Mark Gardner (4-2) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter to win consecutive starts for the first time since Aug. 14 and 19, 1998.

Montreal 10, Cincinnati 4--Vladimir Guerrero homered twice and Jose Vidro drove in four runs at Cincinnati as the Expos ended a losing streak at six games.

The Expos’ injury-ravaged pitching staff got a boost from reliever Mike Johnson (1-0), who filled in for Hideki Irabu and gave up only two hits in five innings. Johnson had a career-high seven strikeouts and retired his last 13 batters.

Dustin Hermanson took over in the sixth and kept the streak going, stretching it to 21 Reds retired in order before Aaron Boone homered in the eighth to start a three-run outburst. Hermanson will move back into the rotation next week to fill in for Irabu, who will be sidelined for a month after knee surgery Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Expo offense broke out as Guerrero hit solo homers in the second and ninth innings--his third multi-homer game of the season--and Peter Bergeron had the first four-hit game of his career. Montreal had 16 hits overall, matching its season high.

Colorado 8, Houston 6--Jeffrey Hammonds hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and Todd Helton raised his average to .421 as the Rockies completed a three-game sweep at Denver.

Helton, who leads the majors in hitting, went one for two and walked three times for the second consecutive game, helping Colorado overcome a 4-0 deficit.

Jeff Cirillo, who went three for five with a homer and three RBIs, singled against Joe Slusarski (0-3) with one out in the eighth. Helton grounded into a fielder’s choice and Hammonds connected on an 0-and-2 pitch, sending Colorado on to its fifth consecutive victory.

It was the first three-game sweep of the Astros since Sept. 11-13, 1996.

Pittsburgh 5, Florida 2--Wil Cordero and Jason Kendall homered as the Pirates completed a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh.

Francisco Cordova (3-4) helped the Pirates match a season high with their third consecutive victory.

Cordova, who has won his last two starts, pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up two runs and 10 hits and struck out five.

San Diego 9, Milwaukee 5--Damian Jackson’s tiebreaking double was one of four extra-base hits in the seventh inning for the Padres, who blew a five-run lead and then rallied at San Diego.

The Padres won their third in a row to wrap up a 7-2 homestand.

David Weathers (3-2) gave up doubles by Carlos Hernandez, Jackson and pinch-hitter Dave Magadan opening the seventh, then was chased by Rivera’s two-run triple.

The Padres drew 12 walks, three intentional, to tie the club record for a nine-inning game. It was the third time they’ve had that many, and the first since Sept. 7, 1980, against the Giants. The 12 walks were two short of the Brewers’ record, set April 29 against the Astros.

Milwaukee’s Geoff Jenkins went four for four, all singles, to match his career high, drove in a run and scored once.

Atlanta vs. Chicago, ppd.--The game at Chicago, postponed because of rain, will be made up today.