Smoltz Streak At 13 To Tie Team Mark

National League

John Smoltz extended his winning streak to 13 games with eight shutout innings and Ryan Klesko homered Friday night as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 in Atlanta.

Smoltz (13-1) allowed five hits, didn’t yield a walk and struck out eight before leaving for a pinch-hitter after eight. His 13 consecutive wins equals the Braves club record shared by four others. Tom Glavine won 13 straight in 1992.

Smoltz increased his major league-leading strikeout total to 125 as the Braves won for just the third time in eight games. Mark Wohlers gave up Raul Mondesi’s 14th homer in the ninth but finished for his 12th save.

Cubs 5, Padres 1

Chicago

Sammy Sosa hit his National League-leading 22nd homer and Steve Trachsel continued his mastery at Wrigley Field as Chicago sent San Diego to its eighth straight defeat.

Sosa’s fifth-inning solo shot to left-center off Padres starter Bob Tewksbury gave the Cubs a 5-1 lead and put Sosa ahead of Montreal’s Henry Rodriguez (21) and Atlanta’s Klesko (20) in the home-run derby.

Cardinals 13, Mets 4

St. Louis

Ron Gant, sidelined since May 11 because of a strained right hamstring, homered in his first at-bat and doubled in leading St. Louis past New York.

Pirates 5, Marlins 4

Pittsburgh

Jeff King swung weakly at two pitches from Robb Nen, then hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to rally Pittsburgh past Florida.

Rockies 10, Phillies 6

Denver

Ellis Burks hit the first inside-the-park homer in the two-year history of Coors Field, and Dante Bichette’s two-run single keyed a sixth-inning outburst as Colorado beat Philadelphia.

Astros 9, Giants 1

San Francisco

Jeff Bagwell hit four doubles, tying a major league record, as Houston beat San Francisco.

Bagwell became the 37th player to double four times in a game, the first in Houston history. The last N.L. player to do it was Billy Hatcher for Cincinnati on Aug. 21, 1990.

Expos 6, Reds 1

Cincinnati

Pedro Martinez pitched a four-hitter and Shane Andrews had three hits, including a homer, as Montreal gradually pulled away to beat the Reds.

The Reds had a three-game winning streak snapped in their first home game since owner Marge Schott agreed to step down as the team’s chief executive. Schott did not attend the game and there were no banners among the crowd.

Clearing the bases

The Chicago Cubs placed first baseman Mark Grace on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 11 with a mid-back strain… . The Rockies honored the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in pre-game ceremonies. After a video tribute, players were introduced and playoff MVP Joe Sakic brought out the Stanley Cup.