Furcal Can’t Stop Cardinal Win

Atlanta shortstop Rafael Furcal turned the 12th unassisted triple play in major league history, but the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Braves, 3-2, Sunday night at St. Louis when Albert Pujols hit a tiebreaking home run against John Smoltz in the eighth inning.

Furcal single-handedly ended a Cardinal rally in the fifth inning for the first unassisted triple play in the majors since Oakland second baseman Randy Velarde did it against the New York Yankees on May 29, 2000. It was also the first in Atlanta history -- Ernie Padgett of the Boston Braves turned one on Oct. 6, 1923.

With runners on first and second, Furcal made a leaping grab of pitcher Woody Williams’ liner. The runners were going on a 1-and-1 pitch, and Furcal stepped on second base to double up Mike Matheny before tagging out Orlando Palmeiro as he attempted to get back to first.

Matheny singled to start the fifth inning and Palmeiro reached first when pitcher Horacio Ramirez threw late to second on Palmeiro’s bunt. Williams had tried to bunt in his at-bat, but the .260-hitting pitcher was allowed to swing away.

The Braves took a 2-1 lead into the eighth. But Eduardo Perez homered against Ramirez with two out and Pujols followed with his 31st this season on a 1-and-0 pitch. It was only the second homer given up by Smoltz (0-2) in 57 2/3 innings.

The home run extended Pujols’ hitting streak to 24 games. He is 36 for 94 (.383) during the streak and is hitting a major league-best .368.

Arizona 7, New York 4 -- Randy Johnson gave up 10 hits in eight innings at Phoenix but still won consecutive starts for the first time this season.

Johnson (3-4) struck out five and walked none. He gave up four runs -- three earned -- including a leadoff homer by Ty Wigginton on the first pitch of the eighth inning.

The Diamondbacks, who won two of three from the Mets, finished their homestand 5-1 to move within two games of Philadelphia and Florida in the National League wild-card race.

San Francisco 5, Philadelphia 2 -- At Pacific Bell Park, Kevin Correia (1-0) pitched six strong innings for his first major league victory in his second major league appearance. He gave up seven hits, one run and two walks.

The West Division leaders won with a surprisingly effective performance by Correia, a last-minute replacement for Jason Schmidt.

The Giant ace was scratched to rest the right elbow tendinitis that has bothered him since the All-Star break, when he was the NL starter.

San Diego 2, Cincinnati 0 -- At San Diego, Brian Lawrence (6-10) pitched six crisp innings -- giving up six hits -- to end a five-game losing streak.

He won for the first time in seven starts since defeating the Dodgers on July 1. Rondell White had three hits, including a run-scoring single. Gary Bennett drove in a run with a single.

Pittsburgh 5, Colorado 3 -- Nelson Figueroa, recalled from triple-A Nashville earlier in the day to make the start at Coors Field, gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings. He had been 0-6 in nine starts since his last major league win, on April 30, 2002, when he beat Atlanta while with Milwaukee.

Shawn Chacon (11-7) gave up three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in seven innings, losing his fourth consecutive decision. He hasn’t won since June 23 at San Diego.

Houston 8, Montreal 2 -- Jeff Kent, Lance Berkman, Richard Hidalgo and Brad Ausmus homered at Houston.

Ron Villone (4-2) gave up consecutive homers to Orlando Cabrera and Wil Cordero in the seventh but gave up only four hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings to hand the Expos their 13th loss in 15 road games.

Milwaukee 5, Florida 4 -- John Vander Wal hit a go-ahead homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the Brewers end a four-game losing streak.

Leading off against Brad Penny (10-9), Vander Wal ended a 3-3 tie. Bill Hall then singled and scored on pinch-hitter Brady Clark’s single.

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Dandy Dozen

Shortstop Rafael Furcal of the Atlanta Braves turned the 12th unassisted triple play in major league history Sunday against St. Louis. Unassisted triple plays:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

* Randy Velarde, 2b, Oakland, May 29, 2000, at N.Y. Yankees.

* John Valentin, ss, Boston, July 8, 1994, vs. Seattle.

* Ron Hansen, ss, Washington, July 30, 1968, at Cleveland.

* Neal Ball, ss, Cleveland, July 19, 1909, vs. Boston.

* Johnny Neun, 1b, Detroit, May 31, 1927, vs. Cleveland.

* George H. Burns, 1b, Boston, Sept. 14, 1923, vs. Cleveland.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

* Rafael Furcal, ss, Atlanta, Aug. 10, 2003, at St. Louis.

* Mickey Morandini, 2b, Philadelphia, Sept. 20, 1992, at Pittsburgh.

* Jimmy Cooney, ss, Chicago Cubs, May 30, 1927, at Pittsburgh.

* Glenn Wright, ss, Pittsburgh, May 7, 1925, vs. St. Louis.

* Ernie Padgett, ss, Boston Braves, Oct. 6, 1923, vs. Philadelphia.

WORLD SERIES

* Bill Wambsganss, 2b, Cleveland, Oct. 10, 1920, vs. Brooklyn.