Reds’ Pitcher Shows He’s Driven
National League
Brett Tomko got his first win in the majors Friday night, driving in Cincinnati’s go-ahead run with his first big league hit and pitching six innings for a 5-2 victory over the New York Mets at Riverfront Stadium.
Tomko (1-1) held the Mets to one run and four hits in six innings in a steady rain in his second major league appearance.
He also doubled off Rick Reed (4-3) to put the Reds ahead 2-1 in the fifth, his first hit and first RBI in four major-league at-bats.
Pirates 5, Phils 4 (10) Pittsburgh
Mark Johnson, benched with a .100 average in his last 10 starts, had a pinch-hit single in the 10th inning off Ricky Bottalico to rally Pittsburgh.
The surprising Pirates, in first place later than in any season since 1992, won their sixth in nine games.
Expos 3, Cubs 0 Montreal
Jim Bullinger pitched a six-hitter for his third career shutout and started a two-run fifth with an infield single as Montreal beat Chicago.
Mike Lansing and Mark Grudzielanek hit consecutive RBI doubles in the fifth and Henry Rodriguez homered in the eighth as Montreal stopped a three-game losing streak.
Cardinals 3, Dodgers 1 Los Angeles
Ray Lankford continued his hot hitting with a pair of solo homers, and Alan Benes pitched eight strong innings as St. Louis beat Los Angeles.
Cards’ Royce Clayton was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing a called third strike. Clayton already had struck out his first two times up.
Astros 8, Padres 7 San Diego
Jeff Bagwell homered after Houston nearly blew a seven-run lead, then started an odd, game-ending double play that preserved the Astros’ win.
The Padres, who left the bases loaded in the eighth, put runners on first and third with one out in the ninth.
Quilvio Veras hit a line drive to first base that Bagwell dropped. But Bagwell touched the bag and threw to catcher Brad Ausmus, trapping Archi Cianfrocco in a rundown.
Ausmus threw to third baseman Tim Bogar, who tagged Cianfrocco for the final out.
Fla. at Colorado, ppd.
Denver The game was postponed because of persistent rain and wet grounds. It will be made up as the second part of a doubleheader today, with the first game set for 2 p.m. and the nightcap for 8 p.m. (CDT).
Braves 9, Giants 5 San Francisco
Paul Byrd led a Braves bullpen that allowed one run in the last 6-2/3 innings as Atlanta beat San Francisco.
Michael Tucker’s groundout drove in the tying run and Chipper Jones’ grounder drove in the go-ahead run for Atlanta in the sixth.
Clearing the bases
The Reds put John Smiley on the 15-day disabled list to open a roster spot for Tomko, called up from Triple-A Indianapolis. Also, Reds closer Jeff Brantley, also on the disabled list, felt pain in the back of his shoulder when he played catcher before the game. … Padre left-hander Sterling Hitchcock (5-5, 4.35 ERA) will go on the D.L. today with a strained ligament in his throwing elbow. … San Francisco’s Jeff Kent missed a second consecutive game after leaving Wednesday’s game at L.A. with a left wrist contusion.