As soon as Tony Saunders was taken out of the game, he headed for the telephone to talk to the opposing pitcher, Tom Glavine.
"I called over there and told him how badly I felt," the 23-year-old Saunders said. "He said, `It hurt more giving up the home run to you than being hit by you.' "Saunders pitched six shutout innings for his first major league victory. And his first major league hit was a home run off Glavine that helped power the Florida Marlins over the Atlanta Braves, 5-1.
But Saunders also hit Glavine with a pitch in the fifth inning Thursday night, forcing his longtime hero from the game.
Glavine squared to bunt when the pitch hit him on his pitching hand.
"I know he didn't do it on purpose. I told him not to worry about it," Glavine said of the telephone call.
The Atlanta left-hander said the errant pitch left three knuckles sore and his index finger numb. But X-rays were negative, and he isn't expected to miss his next start Tuesday - against Saunders in Atlanta.
Pirates 10, Rockies 8
Jason Kendall's three-run double keyed an eight-run fourth inning, and Pittsburgh pounded Colorado again.
The Pirates, who had 14 hits while winning their third straight game, reached Rockies pitchers for 24 runs on 31 hits in their two-game sweep at Coors Field.
Al Martin and Kevin Elster homered for the Pirates. Esteban Loaiza (4-0) won despite surrendering six runs in 5 2-3 innings. Rich Loiselle worked the ninth for his second save.
Astros 4, Mets 2
Slump-ridden Derek Bell drove in two runs with a homer and a double, and Mike Hampton pitched a strong game for Houston.
Hampton (2-3) allowed seven hits and two runs in seven innings. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth and struck out the side for his seventh save in seven chances.
Rick Reed (3-2) allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings.
Bell's first-inning homer at the Astrodome was his first since last Aug. 29, a span of 197 at-bats.
Cardinals 6, Phillies 2
Gary Gaetti had a three-run double and Andy Benes allowed five hits in eight innings at St. Louis.
Ray Lankford had two RBIs for the Cardinals, who scored 20 runs in the two-game series. St. Louis has won nine of 12 to climb to a game below .500 at 16-17 after a franchise-worst 0-6 start.
The Phillies lost for the ninth time in 12 games and also lost starting pitcher Matt Beech, who sprained his right ankle running the bases in the fifth.
Cubs 6, Padres 2
In San Diego, Sammy Sosa went 4-for-5 and Brian McRae was 3-for-5 with a homer as Chicago had a season-high 16 hits.
McRae extended his hitting streak to 10 games as he and Sosa each scored twice. Fernando Valenzuela (1-4) allowed a season-high 10 hits in five innings, including McRae's three hits and a homer by Jose Hernandez.
The Cubs took two of three from the reeling Padres and won their second series of the year. The Padres have lost 14 of 18.
American League
Orioles 13, Mariners 3
The latest greatest streak in baseball is over - Randy Johnson lost for the first time in 645 days.
Chris Hoiles had two homers and six RBIs Thursday night as the Baltimore Orioles ended Johnson's 16-game winning streak with a 13-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
"Randy had a heck of a streak," Seattle manager Lou Piniella said. "He should be proud of what he's done."
Johnson might be proud, but he wasn't talking. The 6-foot-10 left-hander, who lost for the first time since Aug. 1, 1995, a string of 25 starts, stalked out of the clubhouse without a word.
Johnson (4-1) struck out 10, but gave up five runs, six hits and two walks in six innings. He was attempting to tie the AL record of 17 straight wins, set in the 1930s by Johnny Allen of Cleveland and tied by Dave McNally of the Orioles in 1968-69. He settled for the seventh longest streak in major league history.
Yankees 5, Rangers 4
At Yankee Stadium, Mariano Rivera struck out Juan Gonzalez with the bases loaded to end the game, preserving Andy Pettitte's sixth victory and gaining his 11th save.
The Yankees won their third straight game and sent Texas to its season-high third loss in a row.
Pettitte (6-1) joined Jimmy Key as the top winners in the majors. He took a four-hitter and 4-1 lead into the eighth inning before the Rangers rallied on Ivan Rodriguez' RBI single and, after Rivera relieved, an RBI double by Will Clark.
Blue Jays 4, Indians 3
At Cleveland, Juan Guzman (3-2) held the Indians to three hits in seven innings, but Toronto still had to sweat out the win after David Justice hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Dan Plesac.
After the homer, the Indians' major-league leading 60th, Julio Franco singled, but was stranded at second when Paul Quantrill retired Sandy Alomar and Omar Vizquel on lineouts for his first save. Chad Ogea (2-3) took the loss.
White Sox 10, Athletics 6
At Comiskey Park, Frank Thomas and Lyle Mouton hit first-inning homers and Norberto Martin added a three-run shot in the third to power Chicago.
James Baldwin (1-4) survived a scary comebacker off his shoulder in the fifth to pick up his first win. Mike Mohler (0-4) took the loss and fell to 0-10 in 17 career starts.
Twins 10, Red Sox 7
At Boston, Paul Molitor's two-run bloop single capped a five-run sixth inning as Minnesota won for just the third time in its last 15 games.
Boston led 4-1 before the Twins' big inning, with most of the damage coming against Rich Garces (0-1), who replaced Tim Wakefield. The Twins scord four runs in the eighth to offset Rudy Pemberton's grand slam in the second and Tim Naehring's three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth.
Rich Robertson (3-1) went five innings for the win, and Rick Aguilera struck out Mo Vaughn and Naehring with two on in the ninth for his sixth save.
Royals 4, Tigers 0
At Detroit, Tim Belcher (4-3) scattered four hits and four walks in seven innings for his third straight decision and Jay Bell homered to pace Kansas City.
The Royals' Hipolito Pichardo allowed one hit over the final two innings and has not allowed a run over 16 innings in 14 appearances this season.
Brian Moehler (2-2) was the loser.