Burkett Takes the Sting Out of Diamondbacks

John Burkett threw a three-hit shutout in his first complete game in nearly four years Friday night as the Atlanta Braves snapped the Arizona Diamondbacks’ four-game winning streak with a 9-0 victory at Phoenix.

The 36-year-old right-hander hadn’t thrown a complete game since July 2, 1997, for Texas against Colorado and hadn’t had a shutout since Aug. 11, 1996, for the Rangers at Toronto. Burkett went 97 starts without a complete game.

Chipper Jones had his first career five-hit game, with a home run, double and three singles.

Andruw Jones and B.J. Surhoff hit home runs off Armando Reynoso in Atlanta’s five-run second inning. Quilvio Veras hit his first home run in nearly a year off reliever Erik Sabel in the eighth.

Burkett (1-3) threw 5 1/3 hitless innings before pinch-hitter Danny Bautista singled to right in the sixth. Matt Williams doubled with one out in the seventh for Arizona and David Dellucci singled to lead off the eighth for the third hit.

Burkett struck out five, walked one and hit a batter. He repeatedly got the Diamondbacks, who had scored 41 runs in their previous four games, to either fly out or ground out.

The complete game was Burkett’s 19th of his 12-year major league career. It was his fifth career shutout.

Chicago 7, San Francisco 3--Kerry Wood struck out 14--his highest total since elbow surgery two years ago--as the Cubs won at San Francisco.

Rondell White hit a three-run homer for the Cubs, who won their second in a row following a season-high three-game losing streak.

Wood (1-1) allowed three runs and two hits in six innings, retiring his final 10 batters--eight by strikeout. It was the most strikeouts for Wood since he fanned 16 on Aug. 26, 1998, against Cincinnati.

St. Louis 9, New York 0--Matt Morris shut down the last-place Mets for seven innings, and Jim Edmonds and Placido Polanco each had three hits to lead the Cardinals at St. Louis.

The defending National League champions have lost four in a row and nine of 13 in falling to 8-13. St. Louis is 3-1 on its six-game homestand.

Cincinnati 12, Colorado 9--Ruben Rivera and Dmitri Young hit consecutive two-run doubles in a six-run eighth inning as the Reds rallied to win their eighth in a row on the road.

Colorado led, 9-6, going into the eighth, but Kelly Stinnett hit a run-scoring single off Juan Acevedo. Rivera then pinch hit for Michael Tucker and tied the game against Jose Jimenez, who had relieved Mike Myers. Young doubled for an 11-9 lead.

Montreal 6, Milwaukee 1--Vladimir Guerrero, Orlando Cabrera and Andy Tracy homered to back Mike Thurman, and the Expos ended the Brewers’ five-game home winning streak at Milwaukee.

Florida 9, Houston 8--Eric Owens had a career-high five hits and his 10th-inning home run gave the Marlins a victory at Houston.

Pittsburgh 3, San Diego 0--Jimmy Anderson and four relievers combined on an eight-hitter in the Pirates’ victory at San Diego.