Maddux Thumped By Upstart Phillies

National League

Undefeated rookie Mike Grace outdueled Greg Maddux, pitching a four-hitter as the Philadelphia Phillies snapped Atlanta’s seven-game winning streak with a 6-0 victory Sunday over the Braves in Philadelphia.

Grace (6-0) struck out five and walked only one while retiring the final 17 batters in his first career shutout.

Four-time Cy Young Award winner Maddux (4-3) lost consecutive games for the first time since June 22 and 27, 1994.

Maddux lasted only five innings, allowing five runs - four earned, and five hits while striking out seven and walking two.

Cardinals 6, Dodgers 5

St. Louis

Mark Petkovsek pitched well, and Tom Pagnozzi had two RBIs to lead St. Louis past Hideo Nomo and Los Angeles.

The victory averted a three-game sweep by the Dodgers. The Cardinals have lost 14 of their last 19.

Nomo (5-3), who who had won three straight, allowed four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and two walks in his five innings. Petkovsek (2-0) gave up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

Cubs 3, Mets 0

New York

Jim Bullinger pitched a two-hitter, and Ryne Sandberg and Sammy Sosa had home runs as Chicago broke a five-game losing streak with the victory over New York.

The 30-year-old Bullinger struck out four and did not allow a walk in his first shutout and complete game since July 30, 1995, against Philadelphia. Jeff Kent had both hits for the Mets.

Sandberg hit his eighth homer, in the first inning off Mark Clark (1-5), who lost his third straight decision. Sosa led led off the fourth with his 11th home run - and fifth off the Mets - to make it 2-0.

Marlins 7, Rockies 5

Miami

Charles Johnson hit a two-out homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat slumping Colorado and give Florida its seventh straight victory.

Johnson, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth, connected off Curtis Leskanic for his seventh homer. It scored Jeff Conine, who had walked with one out, sending Colorado to its seventh straight loss.

Giants 7, Pirates 2

Pittsburgh

Allen Watson pitched his first complete game in 64 major league starts, and drove in four runs as San Francisco completed a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.

Glenallen Hill hit the Giants’ league-leading 56th homer as they finished off their first sweep of the season and first in Pittsburgh of three games or more since June 6-8, 1977.

Padres 5, Reds 0

Cincinnati

Brian Johnson drove in two runs, and Bob Tewksbury pitched five innings on less-than-normal rest as San Diego ended Cincinnati’s seven-game winning streak.

Tewksbury, pitching on three days of rest for the first time this season, allowed four hits and one walk over five innings. A rainout in Pittsburgh last week forced the Padres to adjust their rotation.

Expos 7, Astros 6

Montreal

Montreal took advantage of a major-league record-tying six passed balls by Houston backup catcher Jerry Goff to score five unearned runs in the victory over the Astros.

Mark Grudzielanek went 5 for 5, tying a career high, and scored three runs, and Henry Rodriguez and F.P. Santangelo added two-run doubles as Montreal improved its major-league best home record to 16-4.

Clearing the bases

Braves starter Steve Avery has pitched 29 straight innings without issuing a walk… . The Giants are averaging 7.7 runs per game during their road trip… . Expos manager Felipe Alou, on his 61st birthday, was ejected in the second inning of Montreal’s game with the Astros.