Sports

Phillie adds to rebound; Marlin slide continues

Associated Press
Published July 18, 2005

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PHILADELPHIA - Vicente Padilla allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings and tripled in two runs to lead the Phillies over the Marlins 8-4 on Sunday.

Mike Lieberthal homered off Dontrelle Willis, who had his second straight poor outing. On July8, he gave up eight runs and nine hits in 41/3 innings of a 9-6 loss to the Cubs. Sunday, he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 52/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Padilla, who was 2-7 with a 6.69 ERA on July1, allowed consecutive singles to Willis and Juan Pierre in the third but escaped his lone jam when Luis Castillo hit into a double play.

He hasn't allowed a run in his past two starts, spanning 13 innings. And the 104 pitches and seven innings were season highs for Padilla, who missed four starts with various injuries.

"(Padilla) has changed his attitude," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said. "He needed to be aggressive and attack the strike zone. He has the potential and ability to pitch very well for us."

Lieberthal's homer in the sixth put the Phillies up 5-0. Three batters later, Jimmy Rollins' two-out double put runners on second and third. Tomas Perez followed with a two-run double to chase Willis. And after an intentional walk to Bobby Abreu and walk to Pat Burrell, Chase Utley's single made it 8-0.

"I was just missing a lot in the strike zone," said Willis, who entered 3-0 with an 0.82 ERA against the Phillies in 2005. "I have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to get ahead in the count again."

CARDINALS 3, ASTROS 0: Chris Carpenter outdueled Roger Clemens to become the league's first 14-game winner for host St. Louis. In his past eight starts, Carpenter has allowed five runs in 642/3 innings (0.70 ERA), struck out 68 and walked 11. Sunday was his third shutout during that span and fourth this season.

Up 1-0 with the bases loaded and one out in the second, Carpenter hit a tapper to first. He had to dodge Mike Lamb's throw home, which sailed to the backstop to score Scott Rolen and So Taguchi.

METS 8, BRAVES 1: Pedro Martinez allowed two hits in six innings as host New York beat Mike Hampton in his first start since being activated from the disabled list. Martinez has allowed one run or fewer nine times this season.

Hampton, out since May31 with a strained left forearm, allowed five runs in two innings. David Wright led off the second with a single for the Mets. Chris Woodward followed with a double, and Miguel Cairo's high chopper to the mound scored Wright. Jose Reyes' two-out doubled scored Woodward, and Mike Cameron followed with a homer to make it 5-0.

BREWERS 5, NATIONALS 3: Tomo Ohka pitched seven strong innings against his former team for host Milwaukee. Acquired for infielder Junior Spivey on June10, he earned his first win since debuting for the Brewers on June14, a span of five starts.

Up 2-0, Rickie Weeks walked to lead off the third for the Brewers. Lyle Overbay doubled, and Bill Hall's groundout made it 3-0. Geoff Jenkins, who hit a two-run double in the first, was hit by a pitch. An out later, consecutive singles by Russell Branyan and Chad Moeller made it 5-0.

REDS 9, ROCKIES 4: Javier Valentin hit his first grand slam and a three-run homer for host Cincinnati. He drove in a career-high seven and became the first Red to homer from both sides of the plate since Pete Rose on Aug.2, 1967.

The Reds scored all nine runs with two outs and on four homers. Down 1-0 in the sixth, Sean Casey and Ken Griffey homered on consecutive pitches. Joe Randa doubled, followed by an intentional walk to Adam Dunn and walk to Wily Mo Pena. Valentin hit the next pitch over the fence in right-center for a 6-1 lead. His homer in the eighth made it 9-4.

Griffey's homer was No.521, tying Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for 14th.

CUBS 8, PIRATES 2: Derrek Lee hit his league-leading 28th homer for host Chicago, which has won six of seven. Lee made it 1-0 in the first. Consecutive singles by Todd Walker, Lee, Jeromy Burnitz and Aramis Ramirez in the third made it 3-0. Three batters later, Michael Barrett's single made it 4-0 and loaded the bases. Carlos Zambrano, who allowed one unearned run in eight innings, followed with a two-run double. GIANTS 4, DODGERS 1: Michael Tucker hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth to help visiting San Francisco take three of four. Yhency Brazoban retired Mike Matheny and Pedro Feliz to start the ninth. But Jason Ellison hit a ground-rule double into the rightfield corner, and pinch-hitter Alex Sanchez was hit by a pitch. Tucker then drove a 2-and-2 pitch into the rightfield pavilion. D'BACKS 6, PADRES 1: Chad Tracy had his first two-homer game for visiting Arizona. Tracy, who also homered Saturday, made it 2-0 in the third. Up 2-1, Craig Counsell walked and Tracy followed with another homer.

[Last modified July 18, 2005, 01:38:10]