Santiago Saves Day for the Giants in 10th

Ahead in the count, 2-and-0, Benito Santiago knew what was coming.

The San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds were tied, 5-5, in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday at Pacific Bell Park, and Luis Pineda had just walked J.T. Snow and Reggie Sanders.

“I figured he was going to come right down the center of the plate,” Santiago said. “And he did.”

Santiago singled home the winning run, giving the Giants a 6-5 victory and a three-game sweep.

The Giants, who trailed, 5-3, going into the eighth inning, have won four in a row and six of seven after losing a season-high four in a row.

The Giants, half a game behind first-place Arizona in the National League West, head to New York for a three-game series with the Mets starting Tuesday.

Snow pulled the Giants within 5-4 with a single in the eighth inning against Danny Graves, who had converted nine consecutive save chances.

With one out in the ninth, Ramon Martinez, pinch-hitter Rich Aurilia and David Bell hit consecutive singles to tie the score. Graves struck out Marvin Benard, then loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Barry Bonds, who had homered earlier.

Jeff Kent grounded out, sending the game into extra innings. It was the third blown save for Graves in 13 chances.

*

Arizona 5, Montreal 2--Luis Gonzalez homered and Junior Spivey drove in three runs, and the Diamondbacks completed a three-game sweep at Phoenix. The Expos, swept for the first time this season, lost the last four of their six-game trip.

*

Atlanta 4, St. Louis 2--Greg Maddux pitched six shutout innings and Andruw Jones homered at St. Louis. The Braves won two of three in the series despite scoring only eight runs. The Cardinals have lost 14 of 20 and have scored six runs in the last 34 innings.

*

San Diego 6, Pittsburgh 5--Catcher Tom Lampkin, batting only .138 before the game, hit a two-run triple to center field at San Diego to help the Padres, who won two of three in the series and have won eight of 11.

*

Florida 7, Milwaukee 4--Marlin starter A.J. Burnett doubled twice for his first two hits this season to help gain the victory at Milwaukee.

Burnett (5-2) gave up four runs and six hits in seven innings and won for the fourth time in five starts. He was hitless in 14 at-bats before hitting a run-scoring double in the second inning.

*

Philadelphia 7, Colorado 4--Reserves Tomas Perez and Jason Michaels each had three hits at Philadelphia, and the Phillies won for their first three-game winning streak this season.