Pirates Halt Schilling, Diamondbacks

The Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for two runs against Curt Schilling in the eighth inning and defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-2, Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

Schilling (18-6) failed to become the majors’ first 19-game winner, giving up four runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings for his first loss in five starts and only his second defeat in his last nine decisions against Pittsburgh.

The score was tied, 2-2, in the eighth when Pirate rookie Rob Mackowiak singled and was bunted to second. Abraham Nunez and Aramis Ramirez followed with run-scoring singles.

The Diamondbacks, coming off three consecutive three-game sweeps, squandered a 2-0 lead against Pirate rookie Dave Williams.

Williams walked Reggie Sanders and Danny Bautista ahead of Damian Miller’s run-scoring single, Schilling’s bunt and Craig Counsell’s scoring fly out in a two-run Arizona fifth.

The Pirates ended a seven-game skid and snapped Arizona’s nine-game winning streak.

Omar Olivares (6-7) got the final out of the eighth for the victory and Mike Fetters earned his fourth save.

San Francisco 10, Montreal 2--Russ Ortiz didn’t give up a hit until the seventh inning and Rich Aurilia and Jeff Kent homered for San Francisco at Montreal.

Ortiz (14-6), who gave up two hits and one run in eight innings, held Montreal hitless until Mark Smith singled to right with two out in the seventh.

Barry Bonds was hitless in two at-bats and walked three times.

The Giants, a National League-best 25-12 since the All-Star break, closed within 1 1/2 games of first-place Arizona in the West.

Houston 8, Philadelphia 2--Lance Berkman and Brad Ausmus each drove in two runs in a six-run seventh inning at Philadelphia that carried the Astros to their fifth consecutive victory.

Philadelphia lost its fifth in a row but stayed only one game behind NL East-leading Atlanta.

Pedro Astacio (8-14) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings.

The Astros had three hits through six innings against Nelson Figueroa (4-4), but rallied in the seventh behind a two-run double by Berkman and a two-run triple by Ausmus.

St. Louis 11, Cincinnati 6--Mark McGwire hit one of St. Louis’ five home runs at Cincinnati and the Cardinals moved into a second-place tie with Chicago in the NL Central.

McGwire’s two-run homer, the 576th of his career, put the Cardinals ahead, 8-0, in the third inning against Juan Acevedo (3-5).

Reliever Mike Matthews, Jim Edmonds, Craig Paquette and J.D. Drew also homered for the Cardinals. Cincinnati hit three home runs, including one by Ken Griffey Jr.

Dustin Hermanson (12-9) gave up three runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Milwaukee 3, Chicago 1--Ruben Quevedo struck out 10 to win his third consecutive start and Jeromy Burnitz hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth inning at Chicago.

Mark Sweeney hit his third homer for the Brewers.

Quevedo (3-1) gave up one run, five hits and four walks in seven innings.

San Diego 3, Atlanta 1--Bubba Trammell had a run-scoring double and D’Angelo Jimenez had a run-scoring single against Steve Karsay in the 10th inning at Atlanta.

John Burkett’s bid to win his fourth consecutive decision ended when Bernard Gilkey pinch-hit for him in the seventh. Burkett gave up five hits and one run.

Jose Nunez (2-2) pitched a perfect ninth for San Diego and Trevor Hoffman earned his 32nd save.

New York 5, Colorado 2--Mike Piazza hit his 300th homer as a catcher and the Mets spoiled Mike Hampton’s return to Shea Stadium.

The Mets scored five runs in the first two innings against Hampton (12-10) to win their third in a row.

Hampton signed a $121-million, eight-year contract with the Rockies last winter after one season with the Mets.

Al Leiter (8-10) gave up one run, six hits and struck out five in seven innings. Armando Benitez earned his 30th save.