Sanders Lifts Giants Over Colorado

Reggie Sanders homered, Rich Aurilia drove in two runs and Russ Ortiz helped himself at the plate in another strong start as the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, Tuesday night at San Francisco.

San Francisco used five pitchers to win for the eighth time in nine games and remain two games behind the Dodgers in the National League wild-card race. San Francisco moved within six games of first-place Arizona in the NL West.

The Rockies held Barry Bonds in check but couldn’t manage much offense against Ortiz, who gave up one run and five hits in six innings. He also doubled and scored.

Robb Nen pitched the ninth for his 35th save in 43 opportunities. He is one save from tying the franchise record of 199, set by Rod Beck from 1991-97.

Colorado did everything in its power to make sure Bonds wouldn’t hurt them this week the way he did last--with five home runs in three games at Denver. Bonds was 0 for 2, got hit by a pitch and walked.

Florida 3-5, New York 2-11--Pinch-hitter Mike Piazza hit a three-run homer and the Mets ended their National League-record home losing streak at 15 by winning the second game of a doubleheader.

The Mets won for the first time at Shea Stadium since beating the Houston Astros 10-0 on July 31. Their 12-inning loss in the first game set the record for ineptitude at home, surpassing Boston’s 14 in a row in 1911.

Mike Bacsik (3-1) won for the first time in five starts, improving to 3-0 against the Marlins. He gave up five runs and 10 hits in 7 2/3 innings.

A host of low-paid players on the Mets’ $104-million payroll led New York to a five-run cushion before Piazza, who did not start the second game because of a sore left wrist, hit his 25th homer and fourth as a pinch-hitter in his career.

Bacsik got his first major league hit, a run-scoring double in the first, Joe McEwing had two runs batted in, and September callup Jason Phillips drove in another as the Mets battered Justin Wayne in his major league debut.

In the first game, Preston Wilson hit a score-tying homer against Armando Benitez in the ninth, and Juan Encarnacion had a run-scoring double in the 12th.

Pittsburgh 3, Atlanta 0--Salomon Torres made a triumphant return to the majors, coming within two out of a shutout in his first big league appearance since 1997.

Aramis Ramirez and Craig Wilson homered for the Pirates, who ended host Atlanta’s four-game winning streak.

The 30-year-old Torres gave up four hits in 8 1/3 innings in front of 18,931, the smallest crowd in Turner Field history.

Torres, once a top prospect for the Giants, retired after the 1997 season and spent the next three years as a $1,200-per-month pitching coach for Montreal’s affiliate in his native Dominican Republic.

He sat out most of last season, too, beginning his comeback in earnest when he signed with the Pirates in January.

After honing his game in triple-A, Torres was called up Monday.

Houston 6, San Diego 2--Roy Oswalt dodged a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning at San Diego and won his eighth consecutive start.

Oswalt (18-6) was coming off a five-game suspension for throwing a pitch at Chicago’s Alex Gonzalez on Aug. 12.

The right-hander started his winning streak July 27 against Pittsburgh, then won his six starts in August, becoming the fourth pitcher in Astro history with six victories in a month.

Backed by three double plays, Oswalt gave up one run and eight hits in seven innings, struck out three and walked one. He improved to 3-0 with a 1.09 earned-run average in five career appearances against San Diego, including three starts.

Billy Wagner earned his 31st save in 37 chances.

Montreal 7, Philadelphia 6--Brad Wilkerson singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning against Terry Adams (5-9).

With 3,879 on hand at Olympic Stadium, the Expos turned the 11th triple play in their 34-year history in the eighth inning.

The triple play began with Marlon Anderson striking out. Placido Polanco was tagged out in a rundown between first and second on a steal attempt, and Travis Lee was tagged out when he strayed too far off third base during the Polanco rundown.

Fernando Tatis hit a three-run homer for Montreal in the second inning, and Andres Galarraga hit a three-run shot in the sixth.

Chicago 10, Milwaukee 1--Alex Gonzalez and Todd Hundley each hit a three-run homer, and Matt Clement pitched a six-hitter at Chicago.

Clement (12-9) threw his third complete game. He struck out seven and walked three. Clement has won his last three starts and two of them have been complete games.