Streaking Rollins helps Phils close gap
Associated PressPublished September 26, 2005
CINCINNATI - Jimmy Rollins is too focused on trying to lead the Philadelphia Phillies into the playoffs to worry about his hitting streak.
Rollins hit a leadoff home run, extending his streak to 30 games, and fell a double short of the cycle as the Phillies gained ground in the wild-card race with a 6-3 victory over the Reds on Sunday.
The Phillies, who have won four of five, moved within a game of Houston. Both teams have six games left.
"I don't think about the streak too much, maybe a couple of times in the hotel room," Rollins said. "I told myself to not get caught up in it. I have to go out and do it. It helps me not think about it."
Chase Utley added his first career inside-the-park homer and former Devil Ray Cory Lidle pitched seven solid innings, his longest outing in seven starts, as the Phillies improved to 39-39 on the road.
"We don't think about what Houston is doing while we're on the field at all," Lidle said. "We're scoreboard watching, but not during the game. Then, it's all about us."
Rollins' 11th home run of the season, off Reds left-hander Randy Keisler, matched St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols for the longest hitting streak in the majors since Vladimir Guerrero hit in 31 straight for the Montreal Expos in 1999.
The leadoff homer was Rollins' third of the season and 12th of his career.
"He's the key player right now," Lidle said. "He's getting on base, he's stealing bags, he's making the pitchers think about something other than the hitters. It's fun to watch."
The Phillies added a first-inning run on David Bell's single, then went up 3-0 in the third when Bell walked with two outs and scored on Ryan Howard's double to right.
Braves on cusp of title
ATLANTA - Marcus Giles has seen the Braves lose their edge in the final two weeks of a season when they clinched their division early.
Giles said he hopes a three-game sweep of the Florida Marlins, capped by a rally for a 5-3 win, shows that this season the Braves are gaining momentum just in time for the playoffs.
"The last few weeks we had been playing poorly, but hopefully we can ride this all the way through Halloween," Giles said after he hit a tying two-run homer, then drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
Atlanta lowered its magic number for clinching the East to two as it seeks its 14th straight division title.
The Braves have lost in the division series three straight years. Giles said that streak could be cured by a better finish to the regular season.
"In the last few years we've hit a bad spell right now because we've already clinched," Giles said.
"I think if I could pick any time for us to get hot, it's right now."
CUBS 3, ASTROS 2: Jeromy Burnitz hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh and Derrek Lee also connected for host Chicago.
The Astros took a 2-1 lead into the seventh and turned it over to their bullpen. Chad Qualls allowed a leadoff single to Lee. With two outs, Mike Gallo relieved. He hadn't allowed a run in 51/3 innings spanning eight outings, but Burnitz sent a 2-and-2 pitch out to left-center.
D'BACKS 4, PADRES 3 (10): Chad Tracy singled home Andy Green in the 10th as host Arizona reduced San Diego's lead in the West to four games. The Diamondbacks tied it at 3 in the seventh when pinch-runner Luis Terrero scored on pinch-hitter Quentin McCracken's groundout.
METS 6, NATIONALS 5: Mike Piazza hit two of New York's four homers as the visiting Mets completed a three-game sweep, eliminated Washington from playoff contention and moved out of last place for the first time since Sept.2.
CARDINALS 2, BREWERS 0: Jeff Suppan allowed six hits in eight innings and Jim Edmonds homered as visiting St. Louis snapped a three-game losing streak.
GIANTS 6, ROCKIES 2: Barry Bonds went hitless in a rare start in a day game after a night game, but visiting San Francisco kept its slim playoff hopes alive by scoring four in the ninth.
DODGERS 9, PIRATES 2: Derek Lowe pitched six solid innings and pinch-hitter Jason Phillips drove in the go-ahead runs in a six-run sixth for host Los Angeles.