Giants Can’t Beat Suppan

Pittsburgh’s Jeff Suppan is showing a team doesn’t have to spend big money in the off-season to pick up a starter who can win right away.

Suppan, passed up by several clubs before signing a $1-million deal, won his fourth consecutive start and the Pirates roughed up San Francisco Giant rookie Jesse Foppert in his first start to win, 5-2, Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh took a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Foppert, who insisted he wasn’t nervous, struggled with his control, walking two and hitting a batter .

The Giants, short-handed because Barry Bonds sat out because of a sore neck on a 44-degree night, lost consecutive games for the first time this season. They were 15-2, the second-best start in club history, before losing to the Dodgers, 16-4, Sunday.

Suppan is 4-0 with a 1.37 earned-run average. He has won nearly half as many games as he did last season, when he finished 9-16 for the Kansas City Royals. Suppan wasn’t re-signed after going 39-51 for the Royals in four seasons.

Suppan gave up one run for the fourth consecutive start -- Edgardo Alfonzo hit a home run in the third inning -- and limited San Francisco to seven hits in seven-plus innings.

Houston 6, New York 2 -- Tim Redding gave up one run in six innings at New York to win for the first time in nearly 11 months, and Richard Hidalgo homered to help the slumping Astros to their third victory in the last 10 games.

Met right-hander David Cone left after the second inning because of a sore left hip.

New York right fielder Jeromy Burnitz will be out four to six weeks after breaking a bone in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch from Billy Wagner in the ninth inning.

Chicago 7, San Diego 2 -- The host Cubs made Brian Lawrence (2-2) pay for hitting a major league-high three batters in the fourth inning, scoring four runs.

Corey Patterson homered and had three runs batted in, and Damian Miller drove in three runs with a triple.

The temperature at Wrigley Field was 38 degrees and Lawrence seemed to be bothered by the cold, blowing on his hands after every pitch.

Montreal 4, Arizona 0 -- Wil Cordero and Jose Vidro homered to support Tomo Ohka (2-2), and the Expos won their first game at Montreal.

After the Expos won six games in their part-time home at San Juan, Puerto Rico, they were welcomed by a crowd of 36,879, the largest Olympic Stadium crowd since the 45,183 at the 2001 opener.

Philadelphia 5, Colorado 2 -- Kevin Millwood (3-1), moved up a day in the rotation, gave up one run and three hits in six innings to help the Phillies win at Philadelphia.

Jason Michaels and Bobby Abreu each hit two-run doubles for the Phillies.

Florida 4, Milwaukee 2 -- Ivan Rodriguez drove in three runs, including two with a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning at Miami.