Arizona Has Easy Time With Mesa

Once Kevin Millwood left the game, the Arizona Diamondbacks teed off against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Quinton McCracken’s two-out run-scoring single against reliever Jose Mesa accounted for the go-ahead run in a five-run ninth inning that lifted the Diamondbacks to a 6-1 victory at Philadelphia Tuesday night.

Millwood, pitching at Veterans Stadium for the first time since his no-hitter against San Francisco on April 27, gave up one run and six hits in seven innings. He got seven of his first eight outs on strikeouts and finished with 11.

“We were real glad when Millwood left,” Manager Bob Brenly said. “He was electrifying. His stuff was great. He was mowing us down. He made us look like Little Leaguers.”

Mesa, Philadelphia’s closer, started the ninth and got the first out. But Lyle Overbay walked and went to second when Rod Barajas hit a two-out single to center field on an 0-and-2 pitch. McCracken then lined a single to center for a 2-1 lead.

After Alex Cintron singled to load the bases, Barajas scored on a wild pitch, Junior Spivey followed with a two-run single and Luis Gonzalez had a run-scoring double against Rheal Cormier.

“Two strikes, no balls, you have to get the guy out,” Mesa said of Barajas’ at-bat. “It was a hanging curve in the middle of the plate.”

Mesa (1-3) gave up five runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Montreal 6, San Francisco 4 -- Vladimir Guerrero broke out of a slump by going 3 for 4 with a tiebreaking, two-run homer in a game at San Francisco that featured a odd infield fly play.

Guerrero, hitless in his previous 13 at-bats, singled in the first, doubled in the third and homered in the seventh.

The Giants have lost four in a row for the first time since Aug. 14-18. San Francisco has lost five of its last seven to the Expos at Pacific Bell Park.

A strange play highlighted the Giants’ four-run fifth inning.

With Montreal ahead, 4-3, the bases loaded and one out, Barry Bonds popped up between the mound and the plate.

Plate umpire Jim Joyce signaled an infield fly, meaning Bonds was out and runners could advance at their own risk after the ball either was caught, or dropped and touched.

The ball fell on the infield grass in front of the plate, between catcher Michael Barrett, pitcher Dan Smith and third baseman Fernando Tatis.

Neifi Perez tagged up at third and ran home after Tatis picked up the ball and touched the plate, apparently thinking it was a force play, then handed the ball to Barrett. The teammates were chatting, with their backs to the plate, as Perez came across.

The play was ruled a fielder’s choice, without a run batted in.

Colorado 9, New York 8 -- Preston Wilson had three runs batted in, including a two-run homer, and the Rockies rallied from a 7-0 deficit at Denver.

Tom Glavine pitched six shutout innings before tiring in the seventh, and Mike Piazza hit two homers for the Mets.

Colorado scored four runs in the seventh to pull to within 8-4 and scored five in the eighth. Todd Helton dashed home with the deciding run on a wild pitch by Jaime Cerda (0-1).

Steve Reed (3-1) pitched the eighth and Jose Jimenez finished for his ninth save.

Houston 6, Pittsburgh 3 -- Richard Hidalgo hit a tiebreaking three-run, ninth-inning double at Pittsburgh against Mike Williams (0-2).

Houston rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Pirates for the 10th consecutive time.

Jose Vizcaino drove in three runs for Houston, Pete Munro (3-1) pitched a scoreless eighth and Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

Chicago 7, Milwaukee 2 -- Shawn Estes (4-3) won his third consecutive decision, getting a victory on the road for the first time this season.

Pitching against Milwaukee for the second time in six days, Estes gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings. Antonio Alfonseca and Joe Borowski completed the five-hitter.

Richie Sexson hit his major league-leading 14th homer for the Brewers, who have lost three in a row and five of their last six.

Milwaukee starter Ruben Quevedo (0-1) lost his career-high fifth consecutive decision.

San Diego 6, Florida 5 -- Ramon Vazquez singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning, sending the Marlins to their first loss under new Manager Jack McKeon.

Keith Lockhart walked against Braden Looper (3-2) leading off, advanced to second on Rondell White’s infield single and scored when Vazquez singled sharply up the middle.

Florida had won its first two games under McKeon, who took over from Jeff Torborg on Sunday. San Diego had lost in a row and 13 of 15.

Mike Lowell homered twice for the Marlins, including a two-run drive against Brandon Villafuerte in the eighth that tied the score, 5-5.