ATLANTA - Jaret Wright learned the lessons from his youth, thanks mostly to shoulder surgeries in back-to-back years. He stayed undefeated in July and Johnny Estrada homered to lead the Braves past the Mets 8-0 to spoil the New York debut of Kris Benson.
"Now, I realize you can't always throw it at 120 percent - not if you want to pitch for a while," Wright said.
The Mets acquired Benson (8-9) from Pittsburgh, hoping he would solidify their rotation. But he lasted only five innings.
"They definitely had my number," he said. "I didn't pitch my game."
There have been no such problems for Wright, a one-time Indians phenom who started Game 7 of the 1997 World Series as a 21-year-old. That, of course, was before shoulder troubles.
"The biggest difference is now I want them to hit it," he said. "I want them to put it in play."
REDS 3-0, ASTROS 2-8: Carlos Beltran and Mike Lamb hit ninth-inning homers for visiting Houston, which ended a draining day with a win. It started with the Reds edging the Astros 3-2 in 13 innings, finishing a game suspended in the sixth Friday because of rain. Beltran had a three-run homer and Lamb added a two-run shot off Gabe White in the second game. Left-hander Andy Pettitte was scratched from the second game because of a sore elbow.
EXPOS 8, MARLINS 5: Terrmel Sledge hit his first grand slam for visiting Montreal after Paul Lo Duca hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat for Florida. Lo Duca, acquired Friday from Los Angeles, joined the Marlins in their dugout in the fifth inning and entered the game in the sixth as a pinch-hitter. He homered to put Florida ahead 5-4. But in the seventh, Sledge hit Josias Manzanillo's first pitch over the wall.
PADRES 3, DODGERS 2: Phil Nevin's infield single drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth for host San Diego. Down 2-1, Terrence Long led off with a single off Darren Dreifort and moved to second on Khalil Greene's sacrifice. Pinch-hitter Sean Burroughs walked, and Mark Loretta followed with a single to center to tie it. Burroughs took third on Milton Bradley's error. Nevin then hit a slow roller up the third-base line.
GIANTS 8, CARDINALS 7: Host San Francisco scored eight in the first then held on. J.T. Snow's double scored Ray Durham and Michael Tucker. After Barry Bonds grounded out, six of the next seven batters reached. A.J. Pierzynski and Marquis Grissom had run-scoring singles before Durham cleared the bases with a triple and scored on Tucker's double.
Down 8-5, Scott Rolen homered to lead off the ninth. Edmonds followed with a double and scored on pinch-hitter Roger Cedeno's single. But John Mabry grounded into a double play, and Jason Christiansen retired Tony Womack one batter later.
PHILLIES 4, CUBS 3: Mike Lieberthal and Bobby Abreu hit two-run homers for visiting Philadelphia. Kevin Millwood retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Tim Worrell then earned his 11th save.
PIRATES 4, BREWERS 1: Ryan Vogelsong allowed three hits and one run in his first start since June 23 for visiting Pittsburgh. Vogelsong also doubled in a run in the Pirates' three-run second inning. The Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak.
ROCKIES 8, D'BACKS 4: Shawn Estes pitched six solid innings for host Colorado, which scored five in the sixth. The Rockies have won five straight over the Diamondbacks and seven of nine overall.
SCOUT DIES: Randy Waddill, a longtime scout who spent the last 12 seasons with the Giants, died Friday in Tampa. He was 59. Waddill was in baseball for 38 years as a player, coach and scout.
