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NL: Walker making big impact in St. Louis
By The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 18, 2004 | No comments posted.
Larry Walker has learned quickly that St. Louis Cardinals' fans know how to celebrate.
Tony Womack scored the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded walk from Danny Graves in the eighth inning and Walker hit the next pitch for a grand slam in the Cardinals' 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Walker has three homers and is hitting .370 in nine games with St. Louis, which acquired the 1997 NL MVP from Colorado on Aug. 6. He earned his first curtain call with the Cardinals.
"I was pushed out of the dugout to get out there, not sure knowing what to do," said Walker, who hit his sixth career slam. "It was fun to go out there, it was fun to win, it was fun to hear the crowd get as loud as they were."
The NL Central leaders are 13-2 against the Reds this season and will try to complete a three-game sweep tonight. St. Louis opened a 15-game lead over second-place Chicago - the Cardinals' largest advantage since Aug. 10, 1968, a year they won the NL pennant.
At St. Louis, Cincinnati led 2-1 in the eighth before Jim Edmonds greeted Graves (1-5) with an RBI single.
Cal Eldred (3-0) gave up one hit and struck out two in a scoreless eighth.
Giants 5, Expos 4
At San Francisco, Barry Bonds homered twice, Jason Schmidt pitched eight strong innings before his bullpen blew his chance to become the first 16-game winner in the major leagues and J.T. Snow singled home the winning run off Luis Ayala (4-9) in the ninth.
San Francisco has won six straight and leads San Diego by a game in the NL wild-card race.
Dustin Hermanson (5-5) blew his first save in five chances, allowing Tony Batista's tying single. Schmidt left with a right groin injury after coming out to start the ninth.
Padres 11, Braves 6
At San Diego, Jake Peavy (9-3) struck out nine in seven innings, allowing only a second-inning single by Andruw Jones and a fourth-inning home run by Chipper Jones that extended his streak of games with home runs to five.
Freddy Guzman got a hit, scored a run and had an RBI in his major league debut for the Padres.
Jaret Wright (11-6), who had been 9-0 in 14 starts since May 22, forced in a pair of runs with bases-loaded walks and allowed five runs, three hits and five walks in just two-thirds of an inning.
Brewers 3, Cubs 1
At Milwaukee, Victor Santos (10-8) improved to 3-1 against the Cubs this season, allowing five hits in 6 1-3 innings, including Sammy Sosa's 26th homer. Santos had lost five straight decisions since beating Chicago on July 16.
Dan Kolb pitched the ninth for his 34th save in 37 chances.
Carlos Zambrano (11-7) lost for the first time in four starts, and Chicago fell 1 1/2 games out in the wild-card race. Bill Hall hit a two-run triple for last-place Milwaukee.
Dodgers 6, Marlins 1
At Los Angeles, Wilson Alvarez (7-3) allowed an unearned run in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision, and Steve Finley and Adrian Beltre homered.
A.J. Burnett (3-6) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks over six innings and struck out nine as Florida dropped 5 1/2 games out in the wild-card race.
Astros 5, Phillies 0
At Philadelphia, Roy Oswalt (13-8) combined with Mike Gallo and Dan Miceli on a five-hitter, and Raul Chavez hit a three-run double as Houston won for the third time in nine games.
Randy Wolf (5-8) allowed five runs and six hits in seven innings. The Phillies (59-60), 1-7 on their homestand and under .500 for the first time since May 7, are six back in the wild-card race and Astros are 6 1/2 games behind.
Rockies 6, Mets 4
At Denver, Jason Jennings (11-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, had two hits and drove in a run. Matt Holliday drove in the go-ahead run with a solo homer off Dan Wheeler (3-1) in the sixth.
Shawn Chacon pitched the ninth to become the third Colorado pitcher to save 30 games in a season. Mets started Victor Zambrano left after 1 2-3 innings because of a sore elbow.
Pirates 7, Diamondbacks 1
At Phoenix, Craig Wilson and Ty Wigginton homered, and Ryan Vogelsong (4-9) allowed one run and six hits in seven innings as Pittsburgh won its fourth straight.
Arizona has lost 16 of 17 and dropped to 7-35 under interim manager Al Pedrique. Stephen Randolph (2-3) gave up two runs, four hits and three walks in three innings, his first major league start for Arizona after 89 relief appearances.
Tony Womack scored the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded walk from Danny Graves in the eighth inning and Walker hit the next pitch for a grand slam in the Cardinals' 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Walker has three homers and is hitting .370 in nine games with St. Louis, which acquired the 1997 NL MVP from Colorado on Aug. 6. He earned his first curtain call with the Cardinals.
"I was pushed out of the dugout to get out there, not sure knowing what to do," said Walker, who hit his sixth career slam. "It was fun to go out there, it was fun to win, it was fun to hear the crowd get as loud as they were."
The NL Central leaders are 13-2 against the Reds this season and will try to complete a three-game sweep tonight. St. Louis opened a 15-game lead over second-place Chicago - the Cardinals' largest advantage since Aug. 10, 1968, a year they won the NL pennant.
At St. Louis, Cincinnati led 2-1 in the eighth before Jim Edmonds greeted Graves (1-5) with an RBI single.
Cal Eldred (3-0) gave up one hit and struck out two in a scoreless eighth.
Giants 5, Expos 4
At San Francisco, Barry Bonds homered twice, Jason Schmidt pitched eight strong innings before his bullpen blew his chance to become the first 16-game winner in the major leagues and J.T. Snow singled home the winning run off Luis Ayala (4-9) in the ninth.
San Francisco has won six straight and leads San Diego by a game in the NL wild-card race.
Dustin Hermanson (5-5) blew his first save in five chances, allowing Tony Batista's tying single. Schmidt left with a right groin injury after coming out to start the ninth.
Padres 11, Braves 6
At San Diego, Jake Peavy (9-3) struck out nine in seven innings, allowing only a second-inning single by Andruw Jones and a fourth-inning home run by Chipper Jones that extended his streak of games with home runs to five.
Freddy Guzman got a hit, scored a run and had an RBI in his major league debut for the Padres.
Jaret Wright (11-6), who had been 9-0 in 14 starts since May 22, forced in a pair of runs with bases-loaded walks and allowed five runs, three hits and five walks in just two-thirds of an inning.
Brewers 3, Cubs 1
At Milwaukee, Victor Santos (10-8) improved to 3-1 against the Cubs this season, allowing five hits in 6 1-3 innings, including Sammy Sosa's 26th homer. Santos had lost five straight decisions since beating Chicago on July 16.
Dan Kolb pitched the ninth for his 34th save in 37 chances.
Carlos Zambrano (11-7) lost for the first time in four starts, and Chicago fell 1 1/2 games out in the wild-card race. Bill Hall hit a two-run triple for last-place Milwaukee.
Dodgers 6, Marlins 1
At Los Angeles, Wilson Alvarez (7-3) allowed an unearned run in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision, and Steve Finley and Adrian Beltre homered.
A.J. Burnett (3-6) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks over six innings and struck out nine as Florida dropped 5 1/2 games out in the wild-card race.
Astros 5, Phillies 0
At Philadelphia, Roy Oswalt (13-8) combined with Mike Gallo and Dan Miceli on a five-hitter, and Raul Chavez hit a three-run double as Houston won for the third time in nine games.
Randy Wolf (5-8) allowed five runs and six hits in seven innings. The Phillies (59-60), 1-7 on their homestand and under .500 for the first time since May 7, are six back in the wild-card race and Astros are 6 1/2 games behind.
Rockies 6, Mets 4
At Denver, Jason Jennings (11-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, had two hits and drove in a run. Matt Holliday drove in the go-ahead run with a solo homer off Dan Wheeler (3-1) in the sixth.
Shawn Chacon pitched the ninth to become the third Colorado pitcher to save 30 games in a season. Mets started Victor Zambrano left after 1 2-3 innings because of a sore elbow.
Pirates 7, Diamondbacks 1
At Phoenix, Craig Wilson and Ty Wigginton homered, and Ryan Vogelsong (4-9) allowed one run and six hits in seven innings as Pittsburgh won its fourth straight.
Arizona has lost 16 of 17 and dropped to 7-35 under interim manager Al Pedrique. Stephen Randolph (2-3) gave up two runs, four hits and three walks in three innings, his first major league start for Arizona after 89 relief appearances.
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