Kent’s Power Knocks Out Braves

Barry Bonds didn’t hit career home run No. 601, but the two that Jeff Kent hit did the trick.

Kent homered twice, doubled and drove in four runs, backing the solid pitching of Russ Ortiz as the San Francisco Giants beat Greg Maddux and the Braves, 7-2, Tuesday night at Atlanta.

Benito Santiago added a two-run homer for the Giants, who moved into the lead in the NL wild-card race with their seventh victory in nine games.

“We needed that,” San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker said. “Our bats came alive.”

Atlanta still has the best record in the majors at 77-41, despite its third loss in six games.

Bonds went one for three with two walks and a ninth-inning single. He has eight lifetime homers off Maddux, tied for the most he has hit off any pitcher. Bonds declined to speak with reporters after the game, waving them off as he headed out of the clubhouse.

After Kent doubled in the first, the Braves intentionally walked Bonds, drawing a loud chorus of boos from the Turner Field crowd. The strategy paid off when Reggie Sanders struck out.

Ortiz (8-8) pitched seven innings of five-hit ball, giving up a solo homer to Julio Franco in the third and a run-scoring single by Keith Lockhart in the seventh. He struck out three and walked two.

Kent hit a three-run homer in the third, part of a four-run inning off Maddux (11-4) during which San Francisco sent nine batters to the plate.

In the seventh, Kent led off with a solo shot against reliever John Foster. It was the 14th multihomer game of his career, and the second this season.

Maddux lost for only the second time in 20 starts, giving up four runs--three earned--and eight hits in six innings. He threw a season-high 102 pitches.

Arizona 6, Cincinnati 1--Steve Finley hit a two-run homer and Rick Helling held the Reds to three hits in seven innings, showing no lingering effects from a sprained ankle, as the Diamondbacks won at Cincinnati, despite losing Luis Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, who holds the longest active playing streak in the majors at 446 consecutive games, strained a muscle in his rib cage and had to leave in the third inning.

The loss knocked the Reds into third place in the NL Central and extended their season-long struggle against good teams. Cincinnati is 44-23 against teams with losing records, only 17-33 against the rest.

San Diego 7, New York 2--Rookie Jake Peavy came within two outs of his first major league complete game, and doubled his career total with three hits to lead the Padres at Shea Stadium in New York. Peavy (4-4), in his ninth major league start, gave up two runs and five hits in 8 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and one walk. Peavy also went three for four with a double as the Padres got 12 hits.

The Padres won despite umpires reversing a call and taking a home run away from Ryan Klesko after he had already rounded the bases. Replays confirmed it was a foul ball. Trevor Hoffman got the last out with the bases loaded for his 29th save.

Colorado 5, Florida 4--Larry Walker and Todd Helton each drove in two runs and the Rockies won at Miami. Walker’s two-run triple off reliever Armando Almanza highlighted a three-run seventh as the Rockies rallied from a 4-2 deficit. Earlier in the inning, Jay Payton’s groundout scored Juan Uribe.

Mike Hampton (7-13) gave up four runs in six innings. He has won consecutive starts for the first time this season. Jose Jimenez pitched the ninth for his team-record 32nd save. Dave Veres had 31 in 1999.

St. Louis 9, Pittsburgh 5--Scott Rolen drove in three runs for the third straight game and the Cardinals got a season-high 18 hits to win at Pittsburgh. Matt Morris (14-7) pitched eight innings, giving up one run and six hits. He was staked to a 5-0 lead after three innings and won for the fourth time in his last five decisions.

Adam Hyzdu’s bases-loaded single capped a four-run ninth for Pittsburgh. Jason Isringhausen got the last out for his 27th save.

Philadelphia 3, Milwaukee 1--Vicente Padilla gave up four hits over seven shutout innings, and Mike Lieberthal hit a two-run homer and doubled as the Phillies won at Philadelphia. Lieberthal, who hit three home runs Saturday, is 25 for 58 (.431) in his last 14 games with five doubles, six homers and 10 RBIs.

Padilla (12-7) gave up four singles to pick up only his second win since June 29. Jose Mesa pitched the ninth for his 34th save in 42 chances.

Houston 5, Chicago 4--Pitcher Pete Munro got his first major league hit and RBI and also won for the first time since July 23 as the Astros won at Chicago. The game was eventually completed after almost two hours of interruptions, because of rain, as the Cubs rallied after being down, 5-0.

Joe Girardi’s RBI single in the sixth made it 5-3, and Alex Gonzalez hit a solo homer off Billy Wagner to lead off the ninth. But Wagner retired the next three batters for his 27th save.