Gonzalez Continues Torrid Home Run Pace

Luis Gonzalez hit two home runs to give him nine in 10 games as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies, 7-3, on Friday night at Denver.

“Gonzo, what can you say about him?” Arizona pitcher Randy Johnson said. “The starting pitcher for the next day needs to make sure he gets back to the hotel and gets back there safe. There should be a sedan or a limo waiting for him out there.”

Gonzalez, who has never hit more than 31 homers in a season, hit a two-run homer in the first inning and another two-run shot off Colorado starter Brian Bohanon (0-2) in the fifth for his 10th career two-homer game and second this season.

While Gonzalez provided the offense, Johnson (2-1) rebounded from his worst start in seven years with seven solid innings. Johnson, who gave up nine runs last Sunday against St. Louis, gave up three runs and six hits with no walks and a Coors Field-record 14 strikeouts.

Cincinnati 3, New York 2--The Reds tied the modern National League record by playing their 174th consecutive game without being shut out, riding Pokey Reese’s three-run homer and good defense to defeat the Mets at New York.

The Reds will try to break the 1992-93 Philadelphia Phillies’ mark for avoiding shutouts when they face Al Leiter today. It was Leiter who last blanked Cincinnati, doing it Oct. 4, 1999, in a wild-card playoff game.

The New York Yankees hold the major league for consecutive games without being shut out at 308 between 1931 and 1933.

Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin left the game in the third, an inning after mildly straining his left wrist diving for a ball.

Houston 4, St. Louis 2--Craig Biggio hit a tiebreaking two-run home run off Darryl Kile in the seventh inning to give the Astros the victory at St. Louis.

Biggio is six for 14 with two home runs and six runs batted in against former teammate Kile, who played for the Astros from 1991-97.

Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 2--Tom Glavine pitched six strong innings and Wes Helms hit a two-run homer in the Braves’ victory at Atlanta.

Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 2--Jason Bere pitched six solid innings and Ricky Gutierrez hit a two-run homer to give the Cubs a victory over the Pirates at Chicago.

San Francisco 7, Milwaukee 3--Kirk Rueter pitched six solid innings and Barry Bonds hit his 497th career home run to lead the Giants to a victory at Milwaukee.

Florida 9, Montreal 3--Ryan Dempster pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and Mike Lowell homered and had four RBIs to lead the Marlins past the Expos at Montreal.

Notes

Dave Winfield will enter the Hall of Fame as a San Diego Padre, choosing his first team instead of the New York Yankees. “I had no idea when I was elected in January that I would have to think about it and look at this for so long, and from so many ways,” Winfield said in a statement. “This has been an extremely tough decision.” . . . Free-agent pitcher Masato Yoshii signed a one-year contract with Montreal.