NATIONAL LEAGUE Weaver misses shutout, but gets win

He gave up a three-run homer, but the Dodgers held on to win, 7-4.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA -- Jeff Weaver took a shutout into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended an eight-game losing streak Saturday with a 7-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Jason Grabowski hit a two-run homer in the Dodgers' four-run third inning. Alex Cora added an RBI triple, then a solo shot in the seventh.
Weaver (3-5) shut out the Braves for seven innings before giving up a three-run homer to pinch-hitter Dewayne Wise in the eighth. The right-hander set a season high with nine strikeouts and walked only one.
Eric Gagne pitched the ninth for the Dodgers, allowing a solo home run to Andruw Jones.
Jaret Wright (2-5) gave up eight hits and five runs in 41/3 innings.
LOS ANGELESATLANTA
abrhbiabrhbi
Izturis ss6020JGarca ss4010
L Duca 1b4000Lroche 1b4000
Brdley cf4220CJones lf4000
Beltre 3b4110Almnza p0000
JEcrcn rf4112JDrew rf4000
Grbwsk lf5122JEstda c4020
Ross c5121AJones cf4111
Cora 2b3122Btemit 3b4120
Weaver p3010NGreen 2b3110
Mota p0000JSWrht p1000
Saenz ph1000Alfnsca p0000
Gagne p0000Furcal ph1000
JuCruz p0000
Ntkwsk p0000
DWise lf1113
Totals397137Totals34484
Los Angeles004010110--7
Atlanta000000031--4
DP--Los Angeles 1. LOB--Los Angeles 12, Atlanta 4. 2B--Bradley (8), JEstrada (13), NGreen (3). 3B--Cora (3). HR--Grabowski (4), Cora (3), AJones (8), DWise (1). SB--Cora (1). S--Weaver.
IPHRERBBSO
Los Angeles
Weaver W,3-5763319
Mota110001
Gagne111101
Atlanta
JSWright L,2-54 1-385533
Alfonseca2-300001
JuCruz231114
Nitkowski121101
Almanza100011
Weaver pitched to 3 batters in the 8th. HBP--by JSWright (JEncarnacion). Umpires--Home, Gary Cederstrom; First, Andy Fletcher; Second, Tim Welke; Third, Jim Reynolds. T--3:02. A--31,850.
Cubs 7, Cardinals 1
CHICAGO -- Glendon Rusch filled in just fine as a spot starter for the Chicago Cubs, who scored four times in the first inning of an easy victory over St. Louis.
In his second start for injured ace Kerry Wood, Rusch (2-0) allowed six hits and struck out nine in 7 2-3 strong innings.
He got a big boost from the Cubs' early offense, including a two-run double by Derrek Lee. Todd Hollandsworth hit a two-run homer off Woody Williams (1-5) in the third to put Chicago ahead 6-1.
ST. LOUISCHICAGO
abrhbiabrhbi
Luna 2b4110TWalkr 2b4110
Rnteria ss4011Barrett c4000
Pujols 1b4010Alou lf4120
Rolen 3b3020ARmrz 3b4221
Edmnd cf4000Hlndsw rf2212
RSndrs rf4010DeLee 1b3012
Tguchi lf3000CPttson cf3111
Lnkfrd ph1000REMtiz ss3000
Mtheny c3000Rusch p3000
WWlms p2000Frnswr p0000
Calero p0000DJcksn ph1000
Cedeno ph1000Hwkins p0000
Tvarez p0000
King p0000
Totals33161Totals31786
St. Louis001000000--1
Chicago40200100x--7
E--WWilliams 2 (2). LOB--St. Louis 6, Chicago 5. 2B--Renteria (8), Pujols (13), Alou (11), DeLee (10). HR--Hollandsworth (5). S--REMartinez. SF--CPatterson.
IPHRERBBSO
St. Louis
WWilliams L,1-5587623
Calero100001
Tavarez100011
King100001
Chicago
Rusch W,2-07 2-361119
Farnsworth1-300000
Hawkins100001
WWilliams pitched to 2 batters in the 6th. Umpires--Home, Paul Emmel; First, Joe West; Second, Terry Craft; Third, Mike DiMuro. T--2:15. A--40,131.
Marlins 11, Diamondbacks 2
MIAMI -- Luis Castillo's first career grand slam capped an eight-run third inning, leading Brad Penny and Florida past Arizona.
Alex Gonzalez had two hits and two RBIs, and Miguel Cabrera and Hee Seop Choi each drove in two runs for the Marlins, who won their third straight.
Arizona's Luis Gonzalez singled in the first for his 2,000th career hit, but All-Star slugger Richie Sexson aggravated his shoulder injury.
Penny (5-2) allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He walked two, struck out six and lowered his ERA to 2.10.
Knuckleballer Steve Sparks (2-4) gave up 10 runs and nine hits in 2 2-3 innings as the Diamondbacks lost their third straight. Sparks' ERA rose from 4.98 to 6.65.
The 10 runs allowed by Sparks tied a team record for starters. Two others did it, most recently Brandon Webb against Colorado on Sept. 23, 2003.
Castillo singled leading off the third and scored on Cabrera's two-run single. Lenny Harris had an RBI groundout and Alex Gonzalez added a run-scoring double before Castillo sent Sparks' 1-0 pitch into the left-field seats for his first homer this season and the 15th of his career.
The eight runs tied a Florida record for most in an inning. The Marlins have done it nine times, the last against Philadelphia on July 25, 2003.
Sexson, who had been on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury until being activated Friday night, left after drawing a walk in the sixth. He aggravated his shoulder while checking his swing on ball four and will be re-evaluated today.
ARIZONAFLORIDA
abrhbiabrhbi
Kata 2b4000LCstillo 2b4224
Cintron ss4010Mrdcai 3b1000
LGnzlz lf3010Pierre cf4120
Hlnbrn 1b1000Lowell 3b4110
Sexson 1b2000Phelps p0000
Sadler lf1000Brland p0000
SFinley cf3020Cbrera rf4222
Dssens p0000LHarrs lf2111
Baerga ph1000Nunez lf2000
DBtista rf4000Choi 1b2212
Tracy 3b4221AGnzlz ss4122
Mayne c2000RCstro c2100
Sparks p1000Penny p3000
Good p1000Easley 2b1000
Hirston lf1001
Totals32262Totals33111111
Arizona000010100--2
Florida02800010x--11
DP--Arizona 1, Florida 1. LOB--Arizona 5, Florida 2. 2B--Cabrera (7), Choi (2), AGonzalez (10). 3B--Tracy (2). HR--Tracy (3), LCastillo (1). SF--Choi.
IPHRERBBSO
Arizona
Sparks L,2-42 2-39101022
Good3 1-310005
Dessens211100
Florida
Penny W,5-2651126
Phelps211102
Borland100000
HBP--by Sparks (Choi). WP--Penny. PB--Mayne. Umpires--Home, Ed Montague; First, Paul Schrieber; Second, Chris Guccione; Third, Jerry Meals. T--2:26. A--25,174.
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