Fred McGriff evened the score against Dan Plesac and gave the Atlanta Braves the lead, all in one swing.
McGriff, who was retired by Plesac in the eighth inning of the Cubs' 6-3 victory on Friday, hit a 2-1 offering into the left-centerfield seats to give the Braves the lead Saturday, and Atlanta went on to a much-needed 6-3 victory."Yesterday he got me out, today I stayed on the ball," said McGriff, who flied out against Plesac (0-1) with one on and one out Friday.
The home run was McGriff's 28th of the season and 10th since he joined Atlanta on July 20th. It may have been his biggest, too, since it ended a two-game losing streak the Braves couldn't afford to see reach three.
Atlanta started the day 7 1/2 games behind San Francisco in the NL West, and they gained no ground as the Giants beat the Florida Marlins 7-4.
"I hadn't had a hit and I was really concentrating," said McGriff, whose blast against a 14-mile wind made it 4-3.
"Huge, huge," said Braves manager Bobby Cox. "If he doesn't hit it, we don't win the game."
Rookie Javier Lopez made it 6-3 later in the inning with his first major league homer, off Shawn Boskie, after an out and Terry Pendleton's infield hit.
"This is no hitter's park," said McGriff. "It seems whenever I come here the wind is blowing in and whenever I watch the Cubs on television the wind is blowing out."
Lopez' homer also was important.
"It's hard to explain," said Lopez. "Any guy who hits his first home run is going to feel great. But it was a big two runs for the team. We only had a one-run lead and after I hit it, you could feel everyone relax."
Everyone except Cubs manager Jim Lefebvre, who made two pitching changes in the eighth inning and saw both result in immediate home runs.
Giants 7, Marlins 4
At San Francisco, Scott Sanderson stopped his 10-game losing streak, winning for the first time with San Francisco and pitching the Giants past the Florida Marlins.
Sanderson (1-1) allowed one earned run on five hits in six innings. He walked none, struck out three and hit a batter.
Sanderson was picked up off waivers from California earlier this month. He lost his last nine decisions with the Angels, starting the longest losing skid of his 17-year career.
Rockies 4, Mets 3
Rockies 8, Mets 6
At Denver, Greg Harris earned his first win for Colorado in the first game and Darren Holmes saved both games in the doubleheader sweep.
Harris (10-12) was 0-3 in four starts since the Rockies acquired him and Bruce Hurst in a July 26 trade with San Diego. He pitched seven innings, allowing four hits and four walks. Holmes worked the final 11/3 innings for his 16th save in 19 chances.
The Rockies broke the tie in the seventh of the first game when Vinny Castilla singled off reliever Jeff Innis (1-3), advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Freddie Benavides' hit.
In the second game, Steve Reed (7-4) pitched 21/3 innings and allowed one hit, and Holmes got the final four outs for his second save of the night.
Dodgers 8, Cardinals 4
At St. Louis, Pedro Astacio allowed one hit over six innings and Jose Offerman drove in two runs for Los Angeles.
Astacio (10-7) struck out four and walked two before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh with the Dodgers leading 2-1.
The strategy paid off as Dave Hansen doubled to right to drive in Tim Wallach, who had walked, and Mitch Webster, who had doubled.
Offerman then tripled in two more as the Dodgers scored six times to put the game out of reach.
Expos 6, Reds 3
At Cincinnati, Larry Walker hit a grand slam on Montreal's first swing of the game and Marquis Grissom added a solo homer for the Expos.
John Roper (2-3) opened the game by walking Grissom, Randy Ready and John Vander Wal on 13 pitches. Walker took a strike and two balls before lining his 16th homer and first career grand slam over the center-field wall.
Astros 3, Phillies 2
At Houston, Luis Gonzalez's RBI single in the 10th inning scored Steve Finley from second base to lift Houston.
The loss is the Phillies' first in Houston in five games and only their third loss in the last eleven games.