Easy Win for Diamondbacks, 14-5

Mike Hampton of the Colorado Rockies had his worst performance of the season when the Rockies needed him to be at his best.

Hampton, who signed an eight-year, $121-million contract in December, gave up eight runs--seven earned--and eight hits in three innings Thursday night in the Rockies’ 14-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Denver.

The loss, their fourth in a row, dropped the Rockies eight games behind the first-place Diamondbacks in the National League West.

The teams play three more times this weekend, with the Diamondbacks set to send Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson to the mound tonight and Sunday. The two are a combined 20-6 with a 2.70 earned-run average.

Luis Gonzalez hit his 31st home run, a grand slam against Gabe White in the seventh, and rookie Junior Spivey--who had three hits before Thursday--went five for six with three runs batted in to help the Diamondbacks improve to 19-6 since May 25.

Hampton (9-3) had his shortest outing since Aug. 17, when he left after three innings because of an injury while pitching for the New York Mets. He also dropped to 5-1 at Coors Field this season as his home ERA jumped from 3.10 to 4.33.

Diamondback starter Nick Bierbrodt (2-0), making the third start of his career, survived his first game at Denver, limiting the Rockies to three runs and six hits in seven innings.

Larry Walker hit a two-run homer against Bierbrodt in the third, but the Diamondbacks still led, 8-3.

Gonzalez, who is on pace to hit 70 home runs, put the game out of reach with the second grand slam of his career. He also matched his career high for homers in a season, set last year.

Cincinnati 8, Houston 7--In a game featuring an Enron Field-record nine home runs, Ken Griffey Jr. singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning at Houston.

Michael Tucker hit two home runs for the Reds. Pitcher Danny Graves and Sean Casey also connected for the Reds.

Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Richard Hidalgo all homered in the first inning for the Astros. Lance Berkman hit two homers for the Astros.

There had been a pair of eight-homer games at Enron Field since the park opened last year.

Florida 3, Atlanta 2--Pinch-hitter Derrek Lee hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning against John Rocker to lift the Marlins at Atlanta.

Kevin Millar fouled off two 3-and-2 pitches before drawing a one-out walk. Charles Johnson nearly hit into a game-ending double play but barely beat the relay throw on a bad-hop grounder to second.

Lee followed by hitting a 96-mph fastball over the 380-foot sign in left field. It was the fourth blown save in 23 chances for Rocker (2-2).

Montreal 10, New York 3--Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Vidro homered at New York to help the Expos end the Mets’ four-game winning streak.

Guerrero’s two-run homer put the Expos ahead for good at 4-3 in the third inning.

Matt Blank (2-2) helped himself with a fifth-inning double and a run-scoring single in a four-run sixth for the Expos, who outhit the Mets, 14-7, and ended a three-game losing streak.

Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 3--Jason Kendall’s third error in two nights set up a go-ahead sixth inning for the Phillies at Pittsburgh.

The Phillies had lost eight of 11 before Wednesday, then won the final two games to take the season series from the Pirates, 5-1. The Phillies lead the National League East by 4 1/2 games over the Braves and Marlins.

With storm clouds approaching and winds whipping dirt from the former Three Rivers Stadium site into PNC Park--some fans put bags on their heads to protect them from the dust--the Phillies regained the lead with a two-run sixth just ahead of a 57-minute rain delay.

San Francisco 8, San Diego 3--Marvin Benard, who played left field while Barry Bonds took the day off, and Ramon Martinez homered for the Giants at San Diego.

The Padre infield committed four throwing errors and Bobby Jones took his 10th loss.

Bonds was rested a day after hitting his 38th home run, the most ever before the All-Star break.

Chicago 5, St. Louis 2--Jon Lieber won for the fifth time in six starts to help the Cubs to a four-game series split at St. Louis.

Todd Dunwoody hit his first home run in more than a year and Ricky Gutierrez had a tiebreaking single in the fifth against Andy Benes (6-5) as the Cubs won their second in a row.