Uribe Ends Slump, Diamondbacks Fall

Colorado Manager Clint Hurdle stayed with shortstop Juan Uribe through seven hitless games and was finally rewarded.

Uribe ended an 0-for-26 slide with a single and then broke a tie with a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning as the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-4, Thursday at Denver.

“Sometimes a pat on the back is a lot better than a slap on the butt and there is only three feet difference,” Hurdle said. “I know he is going to play here for a long time so I have to pick my spots when I go to the whip and when I encourage. I have been doing a lot of encouraging lately.”

Larry Walker went three for three with a walk and two runs batted in to improve his batting average to .349. Making his 100th career start, John Thomson gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings, and Justin Speier (4-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the win.

With the score tied at 4-4, Walker led off the seventh inning with a single off Greg Swindell (0-1), who was replaced by Mike Koplove. Walker stole second and reached third on a ground ball. Todd Hollandsworth was walked intentionally and stole second without a throw.

Uribe hit a flare to right just out of second baseman Junior Spivey’s reach to score Walker and Hollandsworth.

“That was a relief,” said Uribe, who raised both fists above his head when he reached first base. “I was relieved to get a big hit and to give our team a chance to win.”

St. Louis 5, San Francisco 1--Matt Morris gave up one run in eight innings as the Cardinals won at St. Louis. Morris (11-6) ended a two-game losing streak as he struck out eight and walked one. J.D. Drew hit a two-out RBI double, and Mike DiFelice added a two-run single off Jason Schmidt (5-4) as the Cardinals broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run sixth. The Cardinals have won five of six and 10 of 14.

Atlanta 3, Florida 1--Tom Glavine (12-5) won for the first time in six starts as the Braves won at Atlanta to send the Marlins to their eighth consecutive loss. Florida, the only winless team in the major leagues since the All-Star break, hasn’t won since trading slugger Cliff Floyd and pitcher Ryan Dempster on July 11.

Montreal 2, New York 1--Vladimir Guerrero hit his third homer in two games, a go-ahead drive in the eighth inning that led the Expos at Montreal, ending the Mets’ four-game winning streak. Bartolo Colon (3-0) gave up 13 hits in his second consecutive complete game and his sixth of the season.

Houston 4, Milwaukee 2--Jeff Bagwell hit a tiebreaking two-run double off Jamey Wright (2-9) in the eighth to help the Astros win at Milwaukee. After the Astros tied it in the sixth on RBI singles by Bagwell and Craig Biggio, the bullpen shut down the Brewers. The last 12 Brewers were retired.

Cincinnati 7, Pittsburgh 5--Jason LaRue hit a grand slam with two out in the eighth inning after an intentional walk to cap a five-run rally by the Reds at Pittsburgh.

Even after LaRue homered, the Reds still needed left fielder Russell Branyan’s run-saving catch in Pittsburgh’s three-run eighth to wrap up their fourth victory in five games.

Chicago 6, Philadelphia 4--Matt Clement gave up two runs in 6 1/3 innings and Fred McGriff hit a three-run homer to lead the Cubs at Philadelphia. The Cubs ended a two-game losing streak, winning for the sixth time in nine games since Bruce Kimm replaced Don Baylor as manager.