May 9, 2008

Rollins has big night in return from DL

By The Associated Press

The Associated Press

Freddy Sanchez lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates to another dramatic win with a ninth-inning RBI single. Rickie Weeks stopped Milwaukee's six-game losing with a big hit of his own in the Brewers' last at-bat.

And Jimmy Rollins stole the spotlight from both of them with a triumphant return from the disabled list.

The reigning NL MVP hit a two-run homer, an RBI double and also singled in his first game back, sending the Philadelphia Phillies past the struggling San Francisco Giants 7-4 on Friday night.

'It was great. It makes you smile,' Rollins said, doing just that. 'Hopefully I can give you guys a good story. It ain't going to happen all the time.'

Carlos Ruiz drove in two runs for the Phillies, including the go-ahead score in the eighth, and Cole Hamels (4-3) struck out seven in seven innings to win his second straight decision.

Sanchez singled home Brian Bixler with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in Pittsburgh, giving the Pirates a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. Weeks' two-run single in the ninth gave Milwaukee a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

In other NL games, it was: Chicago Cubs 3, Arizona 1; Florida 7, Washington 3; Colorado 4, San Diego 2; and Houston 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 1. Rain postponed the Reds at Mets. They'll play a doubleheader Saturday.

Atlanta dropped to 1-10 in one-run games the day after it beat San Diego 5-4 for its first victory of the season in those contests. The Braves were the only team in the major leagues without a one-run victory.

Sanchez went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and is 9-for-17 in four games since he moved from No. 2 to the leadoff spot. The Pirates have won all four games.

'I don't think it has anything to do with it,' Sanchez said. 'To me, it doesn't matter where I hit. After my first at-bat, it's not really a factor anymore. After first my at-bat, I tend to forget I'm hitting leadoff.'

John Grabow (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win, and Jeff Bennett (0-2) got the loss for Atlanta.

After looking lethargic most of the game, the Brewers came alive after Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen (1-4) recorded two outs on the first two pitches in the ninth.

J.J. Hardy singled and pinch-hitter Gabe Kapler hit a blooper to right. Isringhausen walked Jason Kendall to set up Weeks, who took his second pitch to left field to score Hardy and Kapler.

Isringhausen has a major league-high five blown save chances to go along with his NL-best 11 saves.

'I'm just getting sick of embarrassing myself and letting my team down,' Isringhausen said. 'We should be five more wins in the win column in my mind, so we should be ahead in first place even more. But they can't keep sending me out there when I'm pitching the way I'm pitching.'

Brian Shouse (3-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and the Brewers handed St. Louis its first three-game losing streak this season.

Rollins, who missed a month with a sprained left ankle, grounded out in his first two at-bats before connecting for his third home run in the fifth. He singled in the seventh for his fifth multihit game this year, then doubled in the eighth.

What a nice homecoming, too. He was playing back home in the Bay Area in front of many family and friends.

Tyler Walker (1-1) got the loss.

Cubs 3, Diamondbacks 1

Ted Lilly gave up another homer to Chris Young, but still led Chicago over Arizona in the first meeting between the teams since the Diamondbacks' first-round sweep in last year's playoffs.

Young homered off Lilly in Game 2 last October in Phoenix during Arizona's 8-4 win, prompting Lilly to slam his glove on the pitcher's mound in frustration.

This time Lilly surrendered a first-inning solo homer to Young, then gave up just two hits over the next six innings. Lilly (3-4) struck out 10 against the team with the best record in the majors and drove in the tying run with a fifth-inning single.

Kerry Wood pitched the ninth for his sixth save in nine chances.

Dan Haren (4-2) yielded two runs and five hits in seven innings for visiting Arizona.

Marlins 7, Nationals 3

Ricky Nolasco joined first-place Florida's win parade with six strong innings, and Luis Gonzalez passed the 1,400 career RBIs mark with a bases-loaded double.

Nolasco (2-3) broke a personal three-game losing streak, getting his first win in nearly a month, as the Marlins ran their winning streak to a season-high five games. Florida (21-14) is seven games over .500 for the first time since September 2005.

Nationals starter Tim Redding (4-3) walked three of the last six batters he faced, including Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla to load the bases before Gonzalez doubled off Jesus Colome.

Rockies 4, Padres 2

Not even reigning NL Cy Young