Marlins rough up Maddux to rally past Braves 12-4

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

ATLANTA -- Cliff Floyd homered off Greg Maddux in a three-run sixth inning to start Florida's comeback, and Mike Lowell hit a grand slam Thursday as the Marlins beat the Braves 12-4.

Chuck Smith, a 30-year-old rookie, earned his first major-league win, helping Florida stop a five-game losing streak. He gave up two runs and six hits in five innings, walked four and struck out two.

Maddux allowed one runner past first base in the first five innings and led 2-0.

Florida, which outhit the Braves 15-8, tied it in the sixth on Floyd's one-out homer and consecutive two-out singles by Lowell, Derrek Lee and Alex Gonzalez, the latter a one-hopper over third baseman Chipper Jones.

Ramon Castro's bloop single to right scored Lee for a 3-2 lead.

Maddux gave up three runs in the seventh. Preston Wilson hit a run-scoring single and Reggie Sanders dropped Lee's fly to right for a three-base error as two runs scored.

Maddux, 9-4 against the Marlins, lost his second straight start, giving up six runs -- four earned -- and 10 hits in 62/3 innings.

Atlanta closed to 6-4 in the seventh when Paul Bako, released by Florida on July 21, hit his first homer since July 23, 1999, and Andruw Jones had a run-scoring single.

Jason Marquis forced in a run by walking Wilson with the bases loaded in the eighth and Lowell, who went 3-for-4, followed with his second career slam for an 11-4 lead. Mark Kotsay added a run-scoring double in the ninth.

METS 9-4, EXPOS 8-3: Mike Hampton pitched a seven-hitter and Jay Payton scored on his own two-run double as host New York completed a sloppy doubleheader sweep.

Benny Agbayani went 4-for-5 with three RBI and Matt Franco had a pair of run-scoring singles, including a tiebreaking hit in the eighth inning, as New York rallied from five runs down to win the opener.

A full day of rain that caused a postponement Wednesday left puddles on the outfield warning track and fielders slipping. The play matched the field condition.

There were nine errors -- including three by New York third baseman Lenny Harris in the second game. Payton's double turned into a run as Mike Mordecai's relay throw home hit a sliding Agbayani and bounced toward the Mets' dugout.

DODGERS 16, ROCKIES 11: Adrian Beltre had a career-high six RBI, including his second grand slam of the season, and Alex Cora had two homers and five RBI for visiting Los Angeles.

Beltre went 4-for-6 and Cora was 4-for-5, setting career highs for hits and RBI as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in nine games.

Los Angeles, which made four errors, tied its season high for runs and set a season high with 20 hits.

As both teams scored in double digits at Coors Field for the fourth time this season, Dodgers starter Eric Gagne was pounded for nine runs -- six earned -- and 11 hits in 41/3 innings. He is winless in his past seven starts.

Colorado lost for the 18th time in 22 games.

BREWERS 4, PIRATES 3: Pinch-hitter Tyler Houston homered to break a ninth-inning tie in favor of visiting Milwaukee.

Houston drove a 2-0 pitch from Josias Manzanillo to right for his 14th home run. He had been 0-for-6 as a pinch-hitter.

Curtis Leskanic pitched a perfect eighth for his second victory in the series and Bob Wickman finished for his 16th save.

Pittsburgh opened the first inning with four consecutive hits and took a 3-0 lead against John Snyder.

CUBS 4, PHILLIES 1: Ricky Gutierrez hit a go-ahead triple in a three-run ninth as the Cubs completed a three-game sweep, giving them 13 wins in 16 games.

With the score tied at 1, pinch-hitter Brant Brown singled off Vicente Padilla leading off the ninth. Eric Young followed with a grounder to shortstop Alex Arias. Brown, who was running on the pitch, broke up a potential double-play with a hard slide into Arias.

"That was an unsung-hero type of play by Brown," manager Don Baylor said. "Without that play, we might not have a big inning."

Young was safe at first and scored on a Gutierrez triple to the right-centerfield gap. Gutierrez scored on Sammy Sosa's sacrifice fly, and Damon Buford added a run-scoring single off Ed Vosberg.

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