Van Slyke Comes Back With A Bang
National League
Andy Van Slyke said he had fun playing baseball for the first time in two years Monday night.
That was the upshot of a whirlwind two days in which he was traded from a last-place team to a first-place team, started in center field for the Philadelphia Phillies and hit a two-run homer in a 6-3 victory over the Mets in New York.
“I felt like a rookie out there tonight,” said Van Slyke, who was acquired in a trade Sunday with the Baltimore Orioles. He went 2 for 4, had a sharp single in his first at-bat and made a nice shoestring catch.
Padres 5, Cubs 3
San Diego
Rookie Roberto Petagine’s pinch-hit, three-run homer with two out in the seventh inning gave San Diego a victory over Chicago as the Padres climbed above .500 for the first time in three years.
The Padres (25-24) haven’t had a winning mark since they finished the 1992 season 82-80.
Dodgers 5, Cardinals 2
St. Louis
Hideo Nomo won his fourth straight start and Delino DeShields had three hits and an RBI as Los Angeles beat St. Louis.
Nomo (4-1) gave up just three hits and allowed only one runner to reach second base before faltering in the ninth.
Astros 6, Expos 3
Montreal
Darryl Kile scattered seven hits over six innings and Orlando Miller hit a tie-breaking, two-run single in the sixth as Houston rallied past Montreal.
Kile (3-5) struck out six, walked two and hit three batters, raising his leagueleading total to 10.
Pirates 8, Giants 2
Pittsburgh
Steve Pegues hit his first two major league homers after reliever Steve Mintz replaced injured San Francisco starter Trevor Wilson, leading Pittsburgh past the Giants.
Denny Neagle (7-3) was again the cure for a Pirates’ losing streak, shaking off a two-run first inning to pitch seven scoreless innings before being lifted.
Marlins 7, Rockies 2
Denver
Jeff Conine drove in four runs with three hits, including a three-run homer, and Chris Hammond pitched his second complete game as Florida handed Colorado its fourth straight loss.
Ellis Burks hit two leadoff homers - in the first and ninth innings - to account for both Colorado runs.
Braves 10, Reds 0
Cincinnati
John Smoltz pitched a five-hitter and Fred McGriff homered twice to lead Atlanta to its sixth straight win.
McGriff hit a solo homer and Mark Lemke had a two-run triple as Atlanta scored five runs off Pete Schourek (4-4).
Clearing the bases
Cincinnati starting pitcher Jose Rijo received a cortisone shot in his right elbow and will miss his next scheduled start… . Los Angeles acquired struggling pitcher Willie Banks from Chicago in a trade for minor-league pitching prospect Dax Winslett.