Staked to a 5-0 lead after four innings and without Barry Bonds or Matt Williams in the San Francisco lineup, Colorado's Armando Reynoso had little reason to worry, even with runners on base.
The right-hander beat the Giants for the second time this season, scattering seven hits in the Rockies' 5-1 victory on Saturday."He makes it look very simple," said Colorado manager Don Baylor, whose team had 15 hits. "He stays out of trouble, and when he does get into trouble, he gets better. He doesn't let it bother him."
When the Giants threatened in the seventh with men on second and third with one out, Reynoso (5-3) struck out Mike Benjamin and got pinch-hitter Willie McGee to fly out. And in the eighth, facing runners on first and second with one out, he got Todd Benzinger and Dave Martinez swinging.
After the Rockies' pitching staff was torched for 24 runs in the first two games of the four-game series, Reynoso proved to be the perfect stopper.
"He just never gave in," said Royce Clayton, who got the Giants' only run off Reynoso with his second homer to lead off the fifth. "When he was behind, he'd throw us a breaking ball and he had great command of his pitches."
The lone bright spot on a staff with a 6.07 ERA, Reynoso gave up just two hits in the first four innings. Reynoso tied a career high with eight strikeouts and walked two in his fourth complete game.
"I think it's one of the best games I've thrown so far," Reynoso said.
Cardinals 4, Mets 2
At New York, Bob Tewksbury pitched six-hit ball for eight innings to win his fourth straight decision as St. Louis beat New York, sending the Mets to their 16th loss in 18 games. The Cardinals have won 10 of their last 12 games.
Tewksbury (8-6) struck out three and walked none. Lee Smith got the last three outs for his major league-leading 27th save. Dwight Gooden dropped to 7-7.
Expos 4, Marlins 2
At Miami, Charlie Hough lost control of his knuckleball in the sixth inning and the game as Montreal rallied to beat Florida.
After allowing a first-inning home run to Sean Berry, Hough (3-8) nursed a 2-1 lead into the sixth when the Expos scored three runs. Moises Alou had an RBI hit, then Hough allowed two walks to force in a run before an RBI infield hit by Frank Bolick off reliever Rich Rodriguez.
Pirates 4, Phillies 2
At Pittsburgh, rookie Steve Cooke pitched the first complete game against Philadelphia this season and singled in a run, leading Pittsburgh Pirates over the division-leading Phillies.
Carlos Garcia, another of the Pirates' eight rookies, hit a tie-breaking homer in the sixth off Curt Schilling as the Phillies lost for the 19th time in their last 23 games in Pittsburgh.
Braves 6, Astros 5
At Atlanta, a pair of deflected infield hits with two outs in the ninth inning - the second a decisive RBI single by pinch-hitter Damon Berryhill - gave Atlanta the victory.
Berryhill's hit in the hole on the right side went off first baseman Jeff Bagwell's glove to second baseman Craig Biggio. But his throw home from short right field was too late to get pinch-runner Bill Pecota, who scored from second.
Dodgers 5, Cubs 4
At Los Angeles, Lenny Harris' eighth-inning single capped the Dodgers' rally from a 4-0 deficit and Los Angeles ended its five-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory against the Chicago Cubs.
Mike Piazza singled off Bob Scanlan (1-4) to start the winning rally.
Padres 2, Reds 0
At San Diego, rookie Doug Brocail and Gene Harris combined on a five-hit shutout and the San Diego Padres ended a string of nine consecutive losses to the Cincinnati Reds.
Brocail (2-3) gave up four hits in eight innings to win for the first time since his season debut on June 1. He struck out four and walked none before Harris took over in the ninth to earn his 12th save.