Stephenson Back in Win Column

After winning 16 games in 2000, Garrett Stephenson waited 20 months for the next victory.

Stephenson allowed one run in five innings Sunday at St. Louis and the Cardinals defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 10-1.

Stephenson (1-2) sat out last season after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery and was making his making his fifth start this season--his second since coming off the disabled list from a lower back strain. He overcame a rocky start in winning for the first time since Sept. 11, 2000, giving up a home run to Barry Larkin to lead off the game and walking three in the first two innings.

Eli Marrero and Tino Martinez hit three-run homers for the Cardinals, who have won eight of 10 and are 5-1 in a 10-game home stand.

Philadelphia 4, Arizona 3--After losing the first six games of a seven-game trip, the Phillies went home a winner.

Jimmy Rollins hit a three-run homer--his third of the series--as the Diamondback bullpen faltered, enabling the Phillies to avoid a four-game sweep. They won away from home for only the fourth time in 22 games.

Atlanta 2, Colorado 1--Julio Franco hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning at Coors Field for his first run batted in this season. Franco, who entered the game in the seventh inning, started the day with a .183 average and one extra-base hit in 71 at-bats.

Florida 4, San Francisco 2--Preston Wilson hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to give Josh Beckett (2-2) and the Marlins a rain-delayed victory.

After rain delayed the start of the game for 1 hour 36 minutes, Beckett did not give up a hit until Tom Goodwin singled with one out in the sixth.

Chicago 5, Milwaukee 4--The Cubs ended losing streak at nine, getting a sacrifice fly from Corey Patterson in the 11th inning at Milwaukee.

Bobby Hill led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. He was sacrificed to third and scored on Patterson’s fly.

Pittsburgh 5, Houston 3--At Houston, Kip Wells (6-2) allowed five hits and one run in 62/3 innings to win for the fifth time in six starts and help the Pirates end a losing streak at four games.

The Astros had a winning streak end at seven.

San Diego 4, New York 3--The Padres avoided being swept in the four-game series when Mark Kotsay hit a run-scoring single with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning.