Santiago Comes Through in Ninth

Benito Santiago hit a game-winning single and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the ninth inning for the second consecutive game, 4-3, Saturday.

The Giants won for the 10th time in 13 games and moved within two games of the Dodgers in the National League wild-card race. San Francisco is 6 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West.

Jeff Kent led off the ninth with a single against Byung-Hyun Kim (8-3) and advanced to second on Barry Bonds’ groundout.

Santiago, who drove in three runs, followed with a single to right field, and Kent scored.

The Giants beat the Diamondbacks, 1-0, Friday night on Reggie Sanders’ game-ending single.

Felix Rodriguez (7-6) pitched the ninth for the victory, getting help from a spectacular catch by Sanders, who ran into the right-field wall as he caught a ball hit by Tony Womack against the foul pole to end the ninth.

Atlanta 4, Montreal 0--Andruw Jones hit two two-run homers at Atlanta before being beaned, and Greg Maddux (13-5) pitched five innings to earn his 270th career victory, tying him with Burleigh Grimes for 30th on the all-time list.

The Braves lowered their magic number in the NL East to two.

Jones connected in the first and third innings against Tomo Ohka (13-7). Ohka hit Jones in the left ear flap of the batting helmet in the fifth inning and was ejected. Jones left because of a bruise around his left ear and cheek.

Atlanta’s Chris Hammond plunked Brad Wilkerson in the seventh and was ejected, along with Manager Bobby Cox.

St. Louis 6, Chicago 5--Pinch-hitter Ivan Cruz hit a game-winning single against Antonio Alfonseca (2-4) with two out in the 13th inning at St. Louis.

Scott Rolen had a three-run homer in the first inning for St. Louis.

New York 5, Philadelphia 4-- Tyler Walker got his first career victory, but closer Armando Benitez struggled at Philadelphia as the Mets won their fifth in a row.

The Mets had a 5-3 lead in the ninth, but Benitez walked four batters, forcing in a run before earning his 31st save.

Colorado 5, San Diego 3--Jay Payton’s two-run double keyed a four-run rally against four relievers in the eighth inning at Denver, helping the Rockies win their third consecutive game.

Pittsburgh 4, Florida 1--Josh Fogg (12-11) pitched six scoreless innings at Pittsburgh, Brian Giles and Aramis Ramirez homered, and Mike Williams got his 40th save.

Milwaukee 9, Cincinnati 6-- Richie Sexson doubled three times and drove in five runs at Milwaukee, where the Brewers pounded Shawn Estes (5-12) for five runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

Seattle 9, Kansas City 2--Bret Boone drove in four runs at Kansas City, Mo., and the Mariners remained six games behind American League West leader Oakland. The Mariners trail the Angels by four games in the AL wild-card race.

Detroit 2, New York 1--Omar Infante, one of nine players recalled from triple-A before the game, lined a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning at New York for his first major league hit. Eric Munson, also recalled from Toledo, homered.

Boston 4, Toronto 1--Casey Fossum combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, and Manny Ramirez had a homer and three runs batted in at Boston.

Fossum (4-3) struck out nine and gave up three hits in six innings.

Cleveland 4, Chicago 2--Karim Garcia and Bill Selby homered at Chicago to help the Indians win their fourth in a row.

Garcia’s homer, his 10th, ended a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. C.C. Sabathia (11-10) gave up four hits in eight innings.

Texas 11, Tampa Bay 2--The Rangers tied a major league record shared by three other teams by homering in their 25th consecutive game when Herbert Perry hit a three-run drive in the third inning at St. Petersburg, Fla. Perry hit a two-run homer in the seventh.