Glavine, Sheffield Deliver for Braves

Tom Glavine has always felt comfortable at Cincinnati’s Cinergy Field, even when it was called Riverfront Stadium.

After sitting out several games because of a pulled left hamstring, Gary Sheffield is starting to feel comfortable in the batter’s box--even Cincinnati’s, where he has never felt at home.

Sheffield drove in five runs with two homers and Glavine improved to 16-4 in his career at Cincinnati, and Atlanta routed the Reds, 7-1, Saturday.

Glavine, who has the most victories by a opposing pitcher at Cinergy Field, gave up one run and five hits in seven innings. It was his 233rd career victory.

“As much as everyone else is looking for the new stadium [Great American Ball Park], I’ll be one who’s sad to see it go,” Glavine said. “I don’t know why, but I feel comfortable here. I like the mound. I like the backdrop. Hopefully, I’ll be able to take it across the street.”

Atlanta hit three home runs against Jose Rijo (4-3), who was making his first start since May 23 after sitting out a turn because of fatigue and discomfort in his shoulder.

After Chipper Jones singled to start the second, Andruw Jones followed with his 13th home run. Sheffield hit a two-run homer in the third. It was his seventh home run and first since May 16.

“I’ve been taking a lot of hitting, and I’ve shortened my stride,” said Sheffield, who had a career .235 batting average at Cincinnati. “When I hit a ball out on a line, I feel like I’m at my best. My attitude is I’m capable of two RBIs a game.”

Colorado 5, San Francisco 4--Mike Hampton (3-6) earned a rare road victory and improved to 12-1 in 20 career starts against the Giants. The left-hander had been 0-5 with a 9.21 earned-run average away from Coors Field this season.

Todd Helton had four hits and drove in two runs, helping the Rockies win their third in a row.

Philadelphia 8, Montreal 4--Scott Rolen had two home runs and five RBIs--matching his run-production total for May--to lead the Phillies at Philadelphia.

Rolen, batting second for the first time in his major league career, ended a 2-2 tie with a three-run homer in the seventh. Bobby Abreu followed with a solo drive to make it 6-2. Rolen’s two-run homer in the sixth tied the score, 2-2.

Florida 9, New York 7--The Mets lost their cool and the Marlins won a slugfest sparked by Preston Wilson’s two homers, giving the largest crowd this season at Miami plenty of chances to cheer and jeer.

A crowd of 33,291 hollered as Met catcher Mike Piazza and Manager Bobby Valentine were ejected in the bottom of the seventh inning for arguing about Piazza’s called third strike in the top half of the inning. They were ejected just before Mike Lowell’s solo homer put the Marlins ahead, 7-6.

St. Louis 9, Pittsburgh 4--Edgar Renteria hit a three-run double and the Cardinals staked Darryl Kile to a six-run lead in the first inning at St. Louis.

Kile (3-3), who had received a team-low average of 3.2 runs of support, gave up six hits, struck out two and walked two in seven innings.

Milwaukee 4, San Diego 3--Mark Loretta’s one-out suicide squeeze against Padre closer Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth inning scored Ronnie Belliard at San Diego.