NL: Cubs losing Prior again to fracture

CHICAGO - The image of Mark Prior rolling in pain after being hit in the elbow by a line drive overshadowed a rare offensive outburst by Chicago.

Prior had to leave the Cubs' 10-3 victory over Colorado on Friday after he was hit in his pitching arm by a line drive, and he might miss at least two months.

ESPN and the Chicago Tribune reported that Prior had a fractured elbow. The fracture didn't show up on X-rays but appeared after an MRI exam.

Leading off the fourth, Brad Hawpe hit a liner off Prior's right elbow. The ball caromed toward third, where Aramis Ramirez caught it for the out. Prior collapsed and writhed in pain on the mound before being helped off the field by the training staff and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Prior started the season on the disabled list with inflammation in the elbow.

Prior's injury spoiled a rare offensive splurge by the Cubs. Neifi Perez drove in four runs with a two-run homer and double to match a career high, and Derrek Lee hit a pair of solo shots to take over the National League homer lead with 14.

"I just snuck in a couple of home runs at the end," Lee said. "I thought Neifi got the big hits."

After knocking in two runs in a four-run fourth, Perez hit a two-run homer to left off former Ray Joe Kennedy in the sixth, giving the Cubs a 7-1 lead. Lee followed with a solo shot to left-center off Rockies reliever David Cortes and added another home run in the eighth.

"Your thoughts are with (Prior)," Lee said. "but you've still got a game to finish."

Prior was replaced by Todd Wellemeyer, who pitched 32/3 innings of hitless relief.

METS 1, MARLINS 0: His hip healed, Pedro Martinez dominated Florida.

Martinez pitched five-hit ball for eight innings and struck out 10, and Cliff Floyd had a run-scoring double to help visiting New York win.

Martinez reached double-digit strikeouts for the third time in 10 starts this season and walked none. He lasted more than seven innings for the second time with New York - he pitched a complete game April 10 at Atlanta.

Martinez received a cortisone shot in his sore right hip May 17 and had his next start pushed back two days. But he looked strong in the 86-degree Florida evening.

Martinez has 102 double-digit strikeout games, fourth all-time behind Nolan Ryan (215), Randy Johnson (204) and Roger Clemens (109).

Brian Moehler nearly matched Martinez for eight innings. He retired his first 11 batters before Mike Cameron lined a two-out double to left in the fourth. Floyd followed by pulling a 1-0 pitch down the rightfield line for a run-scoring double.

PHILLIES 5, BRAVES 1: Jim Thome hit a three-run homer off John Smoltz in a four-run first and Philadelphia ended Atlanta's eight-game home winning streak.

It was only the second home run of the season for Thome. The slugging first baseman, who had 42 homers last season and 47 in 2003, came off the disabled list Saturday after missing 19 games with a lower back strain.

Phillies starter Cory Lidle (5-3), a former Ray who pitched a complete game in his previous start, went 62/3 innings. He gave up six hits, one run, walked two and struck out seven.

REDS 6, PIRATES 5: Hillsborough High graduate Jason Romano scored from third base on Felipe Lopez's infield chopper in the ninth to win it for host Cincinnati. Romano, who entered on a double-switch in the ninth, doubled off reliever Mike Gonzalez with one out. Romano moved to third on Ryan Freel's infield single and scored on Lopez's chopper to shortstop Freddy Sanchez, whose throw to the plate was late.

CARDINALS 6, NATIONALS 3: Jim Edmonds homered, doubled twice and had four RBIs, and Matt Morris remained unbeaten in nine starts to help host St. Louis to its fourth straight victory. John Mabry and Mark Grudzielanek each had run-scoring singles in the Cardinals' first regular-season home game involving a team from Washington.

BREWERS 3, ASTROS 0: Doug Davis allowed two hits over seven innings for host Milwaukee. Davis extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 17 despite five walks. He struck out seven. Damian Miller's two-run single off centerfielder Willy Taveras' glove gave Milwaukee a 3-0 lead in the eighth.

DODGERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 4: Jeff Kent hit his 12th career grand slam and Olmedo Saenz added a two-run shot for visiting Los Angeles. Arizona's Tony Clark tied it at 4 with a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the seventh, but reliever Jose Valverde (1-2) walked Milton Bradley leading off the eighth, and with one out Saenz hit a 1-2 pitch over the leftfield fence.

PADRES 9, GIANTS 3: Brian Giles homered and drove in three runs, and Phil Nevin had a two-run double and finished with three RBIs for visiting San Diego. Geoff Blum hit a two-run double and Dave Roberts added a sacrifice fly for the first-place Padres.

[Last modified May 28, 2005, 01:11:02]