National League Roundup: Santiago lifts Giants

Catcher's 10th-inning single dooms Arizona, 1-0

? Benito Santiago hit an RBI single in the 10th inning to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and give the San Francisco Giants a 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

After being held to one hit by Miguel Batista through nine innings, the Giants broke through against the Arizona bullpen in the 10th.

Mike Myers (3-2) walked Barry Bonds to lead off the inning and Jeff Kent hit a bouncing single to left off Bret Prinz to put runners on first and third. Santiago followed with another single to left as the Giants won the second of a four-game set against the defending World Series champions.

Giants closer Robb Nen (3-0) pitched the top of the 10th for the win.

Batista and Jason Schmidt matched zeros for nine innings, with Schmidt allowing only three hits.

Bonds went 0-for-2 with two walks, a day after hitting his 585th career home run against the Diamondbacks. Bonds needs one more home run to match Frank Robinson for fourth place on the career list.

Bonds did make a spectacular defensive play in the ninth inning when he made a running leap at the warning track to snag Luis Gonzalez’s fly to deep left.

Batista left his last start last Wednesday against the Giants after three innings because of a cut on his right thumb and a blister on his forefinger. The Diamondbacks went on to win 12-5.

Schmidt started against the Diamondbacks in the same game, allowing three runs and five hits over just three innings.

After opening the season on the disabled list with a groin strain, Schmidt had worked more than five innings in just one of his previous six starts.

This time, both starters lasted considerably longer.

Batista did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Kent singled after Bonds walked with two outs. But Santiago grounded out to end it.

Batista also got the lone Arizona hit in the first six innings. The Diamondbacks had their best chance in the seventh. David Dellucci and Gonzalez each singled before advancing on Junior Spivey’s sacrifice bunt.

Schmidt walked Steve Finley to load the bases for Mark Grace, who popped up to shallow center. Schmidt then struck out Rod Barajas to end it, earning an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd at Pacific Bell Park.

The Diamondbacks have not homered in four straight games, their longest drought of the season.

Arizona and San Francisco are tied for the NL lead with 58 homers each.

Cubs 3, Pirates 0

Pittsburgh Matt Clement took a no-hitter into the seventh before Brian Giles singled, then settled for a two-hitter in his first career complete game. Clement (3-3), whose longest previous start was 813 innings against Los Angeles on July 4, 2000, didn’t give up anything resembling a hit until Giles lined a clean single up the middle leading off the seventh.

Phillies 5, Mets 3

New York Bobby Abreu doubled twice and drove in two runs as Philadelphia rallied past New York. Doug Glanville scored on Jimmy Rollins’ double-play grounder in the seventh to snap a 3-all tie, and the Phillies got a boost out of the bullpen from newly acquired Dan Plesac to win for just the fifth time in 26 road games.

Cardinals 4, Astros 1

Houston Albert Pujols and Eli Marrero each hit two-run home runs in the first inning as St. Louis clinched the season series with Houston. The Cardinals were outhit 10-5, but they improved to 9-2 against Houston with six games between the teams still remaining in September. St. Louis has won four in a row and 16 of 19.

Reds 6, Marlins 5 (11)

Miami Aaron Boone homered twice, including a solo blast with two outs in the 11th inning, to give Cincinnati a victory over Florida. Boone’s homer off Vladimir Nunez (4-1) capped a back-and-forth game that had the Reds go ahead in the top of the ninth before closer Danny Graves blew a save in the bottom half.

Braves 5, Expos 2

Atlanta Andruw Jones hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the fifth inning, and ailing Atlanta took over sole possession of first place in the NL East for the first time this season with a victory over Montreal. The Braves lost two more players when Chipper Jones fouled a ball off his right leg and Marcus Giles sprained his right ankle trying to avoid a tag.

Dodgers 8, Brewers 4

Los Angeles Marquis Grissom hit a go-ahead two-run homer and added an RBI single as Los Angeles overcame a four-run deficit to beat Milwaukee.

Rockies 3, Padres 2 (12)

San Diego Bobby Estalella homered with two outs in the top of the 12th inning and Colorado earned it’s seventh win in eight games.