This Time, Hoffman Does His Job

Trevor Hoffman finally got Barry Bonds out in a critical situation.

Hoffman--fifth on the career saves list--struck out Bonds and Jeff Kent with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to preserve the San Diego Padres’ 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

“The last two times I faced Bonds I intentionally walked him and he hit a home run on a fastball in,” Hoffman said. “With the bases loaded, you just try to get ahead. There’s no room to put him on with him being the winning run. That’s not a situation I wanted to be in.”

Ryan Klesko homered and drove in three runs as San Diego won its first game at Pacific Bell Park in seven tries this season. Jake Peavy got the win with help from four relievers.

“Hoffy clutched up when he needed against two of the better hitters in the game,” San Diego Manager Bruce Bochy said. “Those are the last two guys you want to see up with the bases loaded, but with the game on the line, Hoffy has an unbelievable ability to keep his focus.”

The Giants wasted a chance to take a two-game lead over the Dodgers in the NL wild-card race. The Dodgers lost at Colorado earlier in the day.

San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker, pitching coach Dave Righetti and catcher Benito Santiago were ejected in the ninth inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Houston 8, St. Louis 0--Wade Miller pitched the first shutout of his career and extended his winning streak to a league-best 11 consecutive decisions. But it’s going to take a lot more for the Astros to win the NL Central.

Miller pitched a three-hitter and Lance Berkman drove in four runs as Houston beat Matt Morris. The victory cut St. Louis’ lead in the NL Central to 6 1/2 games and gave the Astros a split in the four-game series.

Chicago 6, Cincinnati 0--Sammy Sosa broke a scoreless tie with his 46th homer in the eighth inning at Cinergy Field, a 421-foot, three-run shot off Scott Sullivan (6-5) that helped Carlos Zambrano (4-7) get his first victory since July 15.

Bobby Hill hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth, set up when Reggie Taylor dropped Joe Girardi’s fly in center and Todd Hundley singled. Zambrano was 1-6 with three no-decisions in 10 starts since July 15.

Atlanta 6, Florida 4--Before a crowd of only 7,844, the smallest to ever watch the Braves play in Miami, Javy Lopez hit a pinch-hit grand slam with two outs in the sixth inning and John Smoltz earned his major league-leading 51st save.

Smoltz pitched a perfect ninth. He needs six saves to tie Bobby Thigpen’s major league record set in 1990. Florida’s Kevin Millar hit a solo homer in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 21 games, the longest active streak in the majors.

Montreal 10, New York 1--With a crowd of 16,608 at Olympic Stadium for a “Turn Back the Clock” promotion, Javier Vazquez (10-13) got all the offense he needed to win his second consecutive start after losing seven in a row.

The Expos scored in each of the first four innings to take a 10-0 lead. Matt Cepicky hit a grand slam and Orlando Cabrera and Jamey Carroll hit two-run homers to lead the Expos.

Philadelphia 1, Pittsburgh 0--Pat Burrell scored on a fielding mistake by reliever Scott Sauerbeck in the bottom of the 10th inning. With one out, Burrell was intentionally walked and went to third on a single by Travis Lee.

Johnny Estrada then hit a sharp grounder to Sauerbeck (3-3), who turned and made a bad throw to shortstop Jack Wilson, whose throw to first was too late, allowing Burrell to score.