Diamondbacks Thwart Padres

Steve Finley tied the score with a home run in the eighth inning, and Quinton McCracken followed with a triple and scored the go-ahead run, and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied to defeat the San Diego Padres, 6-5, Wednesday night at Phoenix.

Pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay, a rookie, drove in his first run in the majors with a single to right field that scored McCracken. The Diamondbacks lead the National League West by 6 1/2 games over the Dodgers and San Francisco.

Finley hit a 1-and-0 pitch from reliever Kevin Walker (0-1) into the Padre bullpen leading off the eighth for his 23rd homer. Finley, who also had a two-run single, has 1,999 career hits.

McCracken followed with his eighth triple to tie four others for the NL lead. Overbay singled with one out against Brandon Villafuerte to score the go-ahead run.

The rally denied San Diego’s Adam Eaton his first victory this season. Eaton pitched five innings--his longest outing in three starts since returning Sept. 1 from elbow surgery performed in August 2001--and gave up four runs, five hits and six walks.

Atlanta 8-0, New York 5-5--Al Leiter wanted to last at least six innings on the Sept. 11 anniversary. He wound up going all the way.

Leiter pitched a six-hitter for his second shutout this season and the Mets split a doubleheader at Atlanta.

In the first game, Chipper Jones homered twice and drove in five runs, and Kevin Millwood (17-6) won his eighth consecutive start.

In the dugout before the game, Leiter (13-11) lined up six hats that are worn by New York City police officers, firefighters, port authority workers and emergency personnel.

No matter which hat he was wearing, Leiter dominated the Braves. He struck out eight and gave up six singles.

St. Louis 4, Milwaukee 3--Pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop single in the seventh inning at Milwaukee, and the Cardinals extended their winning streak to eight games.

St. Louis opened a season-high 6 1/2-game lead over second-place Houston in the NL Central. The Cardinals are on their longest winning streak since a nine-game stretch from Sept. 8-22, 2001.

Colorado 8, Houston 6--Two homers and five runs batted in by Jeff Bagwell at Houston weren’t enough to keep the Rockies from damaging the Astros’ postseason hopes.

Rookie Aaron Cook won his second consecutive start, giving up seven hits in six innings.

Bagwell reached 30 homers for the seventh consecutive season and the eighth time in nine years.

Pittsburgh 4, Cincinnati 1--Elmer Dessens took a perfect game into the seventh inning at Cincinnati, then gave up two-run homers to Aramis Ramirez and Craig Wilson.

Dessens (7-8) retired the first 19 batters before Jack Wilson reached on shortstop Gookie Dawkins’ throwing error.

Brian Giles flied out, and Ramirez followed with a homer to left. Rob Mackowiak hit a grounder that glanced off the first-base bag for a single, and Wilson homered to left.

Philadelphia 9, Florida 2--Placido Polanco and Travis Lee each hit three-run homers, and Brett Myers (4-4) pitched six solid innings at Philadelphia to help the Phillies end a six-game losing streak. Pat Burrell drove in his 110th run for the Phillies.

Chicago 6, Montreal 3--Sammy Sosa ended his slump with his 495th career home run, going three for four to help the Cubs win at Chicago.

Jose Vidro had two RBIs for the Expos, but they weren’t enough to keep Masato Yoshii (4-9) from losing his fourth consecutive start since Aug. 21.

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NL Wild Card

*--* W L GB Dodgers 83 62 -- San Francisco 83 62 -- Houston 78 68 5 1/2

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