PHILADELPHIA – Tomas Perez hit a two-run double to help back another impressive outing by Brett Myers as the Philadelphia Phillies completed a doubleheader sweep of the Montreal Expos with a 4-1 victory Sunday.
Jose Mesa saved both games for the Phillies, who won 4-3 in the opener behind six strong innings from Randy Wolf and Ricky Ledee’s two-run double. They swept the three-game series and have won four of five overall.
The Expos managed just eight hits in the two games and have lost six of seven. They tied a season low with three hits in the opener.
Myers (5-4) worked six innings, allowing one run on five hits and lowering his ERA to 2.76. He walked one and struck out three.
Marlon Byrd singled home David Bell with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, and Perez’s double made it 4-1.
Terry Adams pitched two perfect innings, and Mesa got three outs for his 15th save in 17 chances.
Bell broke an 0-for-25 slump with a leadoff single against reliever Dan Smith (2-2). After Todd Pratt grounded out, moving the runner to second, Byrd lined an RBI single to center, scoring Bell.
Smith walked Jimmy Rollins and, with a 2-0 count on Perez, was relieved by Joey Eichen, who immediately gave up a double to Perez.
Myers had plenty of help from his defense. Right fielder Bobby Abreu threw out Henry Mateo at the plate in the third inning, center fielder Byrd made a tough running catch of Brad Wilkerson’s fly ball in the sixth and first baseman Jim Thome made a diving stop down the line and a nifty underhand throw to Myers to rob Mateo in the fifth. That play prevented Jamey Carroll from scoring the go-ahead run.
Astros 9, Cubs 3
CHICAGO – Lance Berkman and Morgan Ensberg homered as the Houston Astros kept Kerry Wood winless since April by beating the Chicago Cubs 9-3 Sunday.
Coming off a 1-0 loss in 16 innings Saturday, the Astros broke a 23-inning scoreless drought with four runs in the fourth. Wood failed for a sixth straight start to get his fifth win this season and the 50th of his career.
Jeriome Robertson (4-3) won his third straight start, allowing four hits in six-plus innings as the Astros moved within one game of the first-place Cubs in the NL Central by winning two of three at Wrigley Field. The rookie left-hander was removed after giving up a leadoff double to Sammy Sosa in the seventh.
Brewers 4, Dodgers 3
LOS ANGELES – Richie Sexson hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning and Wes Helms also homered as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Sunday.
Sexson also had a sacrifice fly, helping the Brewers take two of three to win consecutive road series for the second time this year.
The Dodgers have dropped five of six following a 10-game winning streak.
Cardinals 5, Pirates 4
ST. LOUIS – Edgar Renteria hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh inning as the St. Louis Cardinals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
J.D. Drew homered for the second straight game for the Cardinals, who avoided a three-game sweep. St. Louis is just 3-4 during a 13-game homestand, the longest of the season, but avoided dropping below .500 on June 1 for the first time since 1997.
Jack Wilson hit a three-run homer for the Pirates, who lost for only the second time in seven games. Wilson also robbed pinch-hitter Eduardo Perez of the go-ahead RBI in the sixth, making a leaping grab of his liner to shortstop and turning it into an inning-ending double play.
Reds 9, Marlins 6
MIAMI – Sean Casey homered, doubled and drove in three runs, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 9-6 win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday.
Casey and the Reds had struggled at the plate before getting 13 hits off five pitchers. Casey went 3-for-3 as Cincinnati won for only the third time in 10 games.
Casey got the key hit in a seven-run fourth inning, delivering a two-run double with the bases loaded. He was mired in a 2-for-22 slump entering the game.
D-backs 10, Padres 4
SAN DIEGO – Luis Gonzalez homered and drove in four runs for the second straight game, and Edgar Gonzalez won his major league debut as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 10-4 Sunday.
Edgar Gonzalez (1-0), the youngest player in the majors at 20 years old, allowed three runs on 10 hits, flashing signs of the talent that has the Diamondbacks excited.
Giants 4, Rockies 0
SAN FRANCISCO – Barry Bonds hit a two-run double, and Kirk Rueter pitched into the eighth inning as the San Francisco Giants won their fifth straight, beating the Colorado Rockies 4-0 Sunday.
The Rockies hadn’t been shut out in 82 games – the longest active streak in the majors.
Colorado fell one game short of the franchise record for consecutive games without a shutout loss.
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