Helton Hitting .406 and Now He’s Excited

Quickly becoming recognized as one of the best hitters in baseball, Todd Helton doesn’t stay in a slump for long.

With only two hits in his last 15 at-bats entering Saturday, Helton broke out in a huge way, going four for four with two home runs, including the game-winner in the ninth inning, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-6, at Denver.

The solo shot in the ninth won the game, but Helton’s first one brought an unusual amount of emotion out of the first baseman. Usually even-tempered, Helton celebrated his fifth-inning three-run home run with a high-five around first base and an animated arm-bashing session with teammates at home plate.

“I thought it was a big swing in the game, and I just wanted the momentum to turn in our favor and it did,” Helton said. “That was to tie the game. To come back from five runs, it was a crucial time in the game.”

Helton raised his average to .406. He has three multiple-homer games this season and 11 in his career. Helton has 15 home runs and 46 runs batted in this season.

Florida 8, Cincinnati 6--Cliff Floyd hit two home runs, and Preston Wilson drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th as the Marlins ended an eight-game losing streak with a victory over the Reds at Cincinnati.

Floyd hit a two-run home run in the first and a solo shot in the fifth for the Marlins, who had lost 11 in a row at Cinergy Field. Floyd finished with a career-high five RBIs.

Scott Williamson walked Luis Castillo to lead off the 10th inning. Mark Kotsay followed with a single and Floyd walked, loading the bases.

Wilson blooped a single to right field and Dave Berg walked on four pitches to make it 8-6.

Arizona 7, Milwaukee 3--Tony Womack extended his hitting streak to 22 games and scored twice and the Diamondbacks stretched their team-record home winning streak to 11 with a victory over the Brewers.

Luis Gonzalez also homered for Arizona, which has won five in a row. Milwaukee has lost four in a row.

Steve Finley hit his 18th home run and drove in three runs, raising his NL-leading RBI total to 51. His two-run home run in the fifth inning tied it and Jay Bell singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth.

Atlanta 6, Houston 5--Andruw Jones, Brian Jordan and Chipper Jones hit home runs in Houston’s cooled-down Enron Field to lead the Braves to victory over the Astros.

Brave reliever John Rocker walked the bases loaded with no out in the ninth inning and was pulled. Kerry Ligtenberg escaped the jam without giving up a run, getting Richard Hidalgo to ground into a game-ending double play.

The Astros lost more than the game. Left fielder Moises Alou left the game because of tightness in his left quadriceps muscle one day after outfielder Roger Cedeno went on the 15-day disabled list. Alou was listed as day-to-day.

It was the first regular-season game played at Enron Field with the roof closed. It was 72 degrees inside with the air conditioning while temperatures outside rose into the 90s.

New York 12, St. Louis 8--Todd Zeile’s eighth-inning grand slam, his second home run of the game, helped the Mets rally past the Cardinals at St. Louis.

New York took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Andy Benes, then trailed, 8-6, entering the eighth inning.

Jon Nunnally walked to lead off the inning and Edgardo Alfonzo reached on an error. Dave Veres relieved Heathcliff Slocumb and walked Mike Piazza, loading the bases. After pinch-hitter Mark Johnson struck out, Zeile hit a towering fly that barely cleared the left-field wall.

Chicago 3, San Francisco 2--Jose Nieves’ sacrifice fly in the 11th inning gave the Cubs a victory over the Giants for only their eighth victory in 24 road games.

Henry Rodriguez opened the 11th with a double. Pinch-runner Chad Meyers moved to third on a groundout and scored on Nieves’ fly to right.

Daniel Garibay pitched two hitless innings for the victory. Rick Aguilera pitched the 11th for his eighth save in 12 opportunities.

San Diego 4, Montreal 2--Phil Nevin hit a three-run home run in the eighth to lift the Padres over the Expos at San Diego.

Nevin hit an 0-1 pitch off reliever Dustin Hermanson over the right-field wall. The home run spoiled a strong outing by Montreal’s Javier Vazquez, who gave up two runs on nine hits in 7 1/3 innings.