Braves’ Rally Gives Rocker More Exposure

The Atlanta Braves were all too glad to give John Rocker a chance to face the notorious Philadelphia fans.

Rocker, pitching in Philadelphia for the first time since his suspension for offensive comments about minorities, gays and immigrants, sprinted in to a mixed reaction Friday night and barely preserved the Braves’ 8-7 victory over the Phillies.

It looked as if Rocker wouldn’t get a chance to pitch. But the Braves rallied for two runs in the ninth, set up by shortstop Desi Relaford’s two-out error. Pinch-hitter Andres Galarraga then tied it with a double and rookie Rafael Furcal followed with an RBI single.

That left it up to Rocker, and he ran in from the bullpen as nearly the entire crowd of 21,922 stood. Both the boos and cheers were loud--a heavy security presence, including major league officials who came down from New York for the Braves’ weekend visit, watched the fans the whole way.

“We expected that here in Philly,” said Brian Jordan, who homered twice for Atlanta. “They would’ve probably reacted that way even if he wasn’t here. I guess it’s just going to get worse when we go to New York.”

Rocker hung on to earn his eighth save in nine chances. He worked around two walks and retired Scott Rolen, who earlier hit a grand slam, on a routine fly ball to end it.

“We were lucky tonight,” Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said.

After the game, Rocker went to a workout session without comment.

Rocker previously had pitched at Dodger Stadium, San Diego and Florida since returning his two-week penalty for insensitive remarks.

Before this game, he was the most popular player at Veterans Stadium, signing autographs and tossing a couple of balls into the stands. He heard only positive remarks at that time, and was the last player to leave the field after warmups.

Security personnel shadowed him the whole way. Five officers were stationed on the overhang above the dugout and there were a couple of officials in the bullpen.

“They were doing their best not to let anyone near him,” Atlanta pitcher Tom Glavine said. “Whatever happens, happens. You just hope you’re out of harm’s way.”

Kerry Ligtenberg (1-1) earned the victory. Wayne Gomes (1-4) took the loss after his third blown save in his last five chances.

“It might seem like the end of the world, but it’s not,” Gomes said. “I just didn’t get the job done. I’ll take this one to bed with me, but I’ll wake up tomorrow and take it from there.”

Rolen, a notoriously bad hitter with the bases loaded, connected for a grand slam that capped a six-run rally in the seventh that put the Phillies ahead 7-6.

Andruw Jones had a solo homer for the Braves and pitcher Terry Mulholland had a career-high three hits, two of them off Curt Schilling.

It looked like it would be an easy night for the Braves as they took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

But Kevin Jordan led off with a double and moved up on a passed ball. Brian Hunter, waived by Atlanta last month and playing in place of the injured Rico Brogna, drove in the run with a grounder.

After a single by Desi Relaford, Rudy Seanez relieved and singles by pinch-hitter Mickey Morandini and Doug Glanville loaded the bases.

Ron Gant struck out and a walk to Bobby Abreu made it 6-3. Rolen then hit the first pitch over the right-center field wall.

Arizona 6, San Diego 4--The Diamondbacks set a franchise record with their eighth consecutive victory, beating San Diego behind Padre-killers Steve Finley and Brian Anderson at San Diego.

The streak has carried the Diamondbacks to a 25-10 record, the best in baseball. Arizona beat San Diego for the fifth consecutive time, including four during the streak.

The Padres, coming off the third 0-6 road trip in their 32-year history, lost their seventh in a rowand 13th in 16 games.

Anderson (3-0) held the Padres to one run and six hits in seven inningsto win his ninth consecutive decision dating to July 24. His last four wins have come against the Padres, dating to the last day of the 1999 season.

Finley, an ex-Padre, has four homers and 11 RBIs in eight games against San Diego this year.

Matt Clement (4-2) allowed three hits and three runs, one earned, in six innings in the loss.

Montreal 8, Chicago 3--Lee Stevens homered for the Expos and Sammy Sosa made a critical three-base error in Montreal’s victory over visiting Chicago.

Rondell White’s bases-loaded single to the right-field corner in the fourth inning rolled past Sosa for an error, allowing all four runners to score to make it 7-1.

Mike Thurman (1-0) gave up one run and five hits in 5 1-3 innings in his first start of the season.

The Cubs’ Kerry Wood (1-2) allowed seven runs--five earned--on six hits, struck out six and walked four.

Milwaukee 6, Pittsburgh 1--Henry Blanco hit his first career grand slam for the Brewers at Pittsburgh.

Milwaukee has won seven consecutive games in Pittsburgh.

Blanco’s second homer of the season came off Jason Schmidt (1-3) in the second inning.

Jimmy Haynes (5-2) allowed one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings to win for the third time in four starts. He walked three and struck out two.

Florida 6, New York 4--Preston Wilson homered and drove in four runs, and Ryan Dempster defeated the Mets for the second time in six days in Florida’s victory at New York.

Dempster (4-2) pitched a one-hitter in the Marlins’ 3-0 win against the Mets Sunday. He allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings Friday.

Wilson, who has homered in his last three games, hit an RBI double in the third inning and a three-run homer off Glendon Rusch (1-4) in Florida’s four-run fifth.

Rusch allowed six runs and 12 hits in five innings.

Colorado 15, San Francisco 7--Jeffrey Hammonds homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs to lead the Rockies at Denver.

Hammonds hit a three-run homer to highlight a five-run first and had another three-run shot in the second for his eighth career multihomer game. He also had an RBI single in the seventh.

Coming off seven shutout innings last Friday, San Francisco starter Joe Nathan (2-1) gave up 12 runs--10 earned--in 2 2/3 innings.

Brian Bohanon (1-3), sent to the bullpen after five poor starts, gave up one run and three hits, struck out six and walked one in six innings of relief.

Cincinnati 7, Houston 3--Pokey Reese hit a three-run home run in the 11th inning and pitcher Danny Graves followed with a solo homer for his first major league hit, rallying the Reds at Houston.

Cincinnati won its fifth consecutive game, and for the fifth time this season in its last at-bat.

Aaron Boone and Alex Ochoa walked against Mike Maddux (2-2) to start the 11th. Gookie Dawkins sacrificed the runners before Reese hit his first homer of the season to give the Reds a 6-3 lead.

Graves, who was 0 for 11 in his career, hit the next pitch over the left-field fence. Graves (5-0) pitched three innings for the win.