NATIONAL LEAGUE Giles, Germano key Padres to 9-6 win

ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA -- Brian Giles homered for the third straight game and his aggressive slide in the sixth inning forced a two-run error, leading the San Diego Padres over the Philadelphia Phillies 9-6 Saturday night.
Justin Germano went five innings for the win in his first major league appearance. Germano allowed four runs, five hits and four walks, but struck out five.
Chase Utley also homered for the third time in as many nights for the Phillies, who had won four straight.
With Philadelphia ahead 4-3, Roberto Hernandez (0-1) relieved Phillies starter Josh Hancock to start the sixth and walked three of the first four batters he faced. Ramon Hernandez then tapped a ground ball back to the pitcher, who flipped to Mike Lieberthal for the force at the plate.
Aggressive slide
But Giles slid into Lieberthal's leg, knocking the catcher off balance and causing his throw to first to sail into right field. Ryan Klesko and Jay Payton scored on Lieberthal's error to put San Diego ahead by one.
Klesko had a two-out, two-run single off Amaury Telemaco in the seventh that made it 7-4.
Giles reached base in all five plate appearances, drawing three walks, while scoring three runs. He is 7-for-16 with three home runs, six RBIs and eight runs scored in his last five games.
Hancock, making his first big league start since Sept. 26, 2002, gave up three runs and five hits in five innings. Hancock threw just 61 pitches before leaving with a 4-3 lead.
Beck back on mound
Rod Beck, who rejoined the Padres on Friday after missing over two months because of an unspecified personal problem, made his first appearance and allowed one run on two hits in the seventh.
Utley hit a three-run homer to right to cap a four-run third inning. He now has four home runs and 16 RBIs since replacing the injured Placido Polanco.
The Padres scored two runs on four singles in the ninth to make it 9-5, before Philadelphia's Pat Burrell had an RBI grounder in the bottom half off closer Trevor Hoffman to close the scoring.
Notes
Phillies RF Bobby Abreu had an RBI single in the third that extended his hitting streak to 11 games. ... Thomas Perez made his first start of the season at 1B for injured Phillies Jim Thome (finger) and went 2-for-4. ... Padres 2B Mark Loretta hit his team-leading 12th double of the year in the seventh inning. ... Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins stole his team-high 11th base in the bottom of the frame.
SAN DIEGOPHILA
abrhbiabrhbi
Brrghs 3b5020Byrd cf3110
Loretta 2b5220Madson p0000
BGiles rf2311Rollins ss5330
Nevin 1b4122BAbreu rf3111
Klesko lf3112Burrell lf5012
Beck p0000Utley 2b5123
Lnbrnk p0000Lbrthal c5010
Wtsick p0000DaBell 3b4010
Long ph1011ToPerz 1b4020
Hffman p0000Glnville cf0000
Payton cf4210Hncock p2000
RaHrdz c4011RHrndz p0000
Greene ss4000Mchels ph1000
Grmno p2000Tlmaco p0000
Tnkrsly p0000Crmier p0000
Rbnson lf2000Ledee ph1000
Wooten 1b0000
Totals369117Totals386126
San Diego010112202--9
Philadelphia004000101--6
E--Lieberthal (4). DP--San Diego 1, Philadelphia 1. LOB--San Diego 6, Philadelphia 9. 2B--Loretta (12), Payton (8), Rollins (7), Utley (3), Lieberthal (9). HR--BGiles (9), Nevin (5), Utley (4). SB--Rollins (11). CS--BGiles (2).
IPHRERBBSO
San Diego
Germano W,1-0554445
Tankersley110002
Beck121100
Linebrink2-320000
Witasick1-300001
Hoffman121100
Philadelphia
Hancock553310
RHrndz L,0-1102031
Telemaco122221
Cormier100001
Madson142200
Umpires--Home, Greg Gibson; First, Bruce Dreckman; Second, James Hoye; Third, Larry Poncino. T--3:07. A--43,634.
Reds 8, Astros 7
CINCINNATI -- Roger Clemens was hit hard for the first time this season. His bullpen was no better.
Clemens lasted only five innings in his worst NL outing, but avoided the loss because of Houston's comeback. Cincinnati then topped it with one of its own.
Sean Casey and Ken Griffey Jr. had run-scoring doubles in the eighth off Brad Lidge (0-1) for Cincinnati's seventh victory in eight games.
Clemens gave up a season-high six runs in his shortest outing since switching leagues. Adam Dunn's two-run double in the third inning set the tone.
The Astros trailed 6-4 in the top of the sixth when Clemens left for pinch-hitter Mike Lamb, whose homer started another comeback. Richard Hidalgo's sacrifice fly in the seventh off Todd Jones (3-1) tied the game and got Clemens off the hook.
Danny Graves pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 24 chances, but had a close call of his own. Morgan Ensberg's RBI single cut it to 8-7, but Lance Berkman was caught in a rundown as he tried to score the tying run from third on Hidaldo's grounder.
HOUSTONCINCINNATI
abrhbiabrhbi
Biggio cf5020Freel 3b4110
AEvrtt ss4110Larkin ss5230
Bgwell 1b3100Casey 1b4221
JKent 2b5232Grf Jr. cf5011
Brkmn lf5232Kearns rf3111
Ensbrg 3b5021TJones p0000
Hidalgo rf3021Hmmel ph0000
Asmus c5010Graves p0000
Clmens p2000Dunn lf2222
Lamb ph1111DJmnz 2b4011
Gallo p0000LaRue c3011
OPlmro ph1000Harang p2000
Lidge p0000JaCruz ph1001
JVzcno ph1000RWgnr p0000
Reith p0000
JCastro 3b1000
Totals407157Totals348128
Houston000041101--7
Cincinnati01302002x--8
DP--Houston 1, Cincinnati 1. LOB--Houston 11, Cincinnati 12. 2B--AEverett (8), JKent (13), Berkman 2 (11), Casey (16), Griffey Jr. (11), Dunn (8), LaRue (5). HR--Berkman (9), Lamb (3). S--Hummel. SF--Hidalgo.
IPHRERBBSO
Houston
Clemens596648
Gallo100001
Lidge L,0-2232222
Cincinnati
Harang574423
RWagner2-331120
Reith1-321101
TJones W,3-1200001
Graves S,20131100
Reith pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. HBP--by Lidge (Dunn), by Gallo (Casey), by Clemens (LaRue). Umpires--Home, Charlie Reliford; First, Jeff Kellogg; Second, Doug Eddings; Third, Dan Iassogna. T--3:21. A--41,890.
Mets 5, Rockies 4
NEW YORK -- Ty Wigginton hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning for New York.
The Mets scored three runs in the first inning, highlighted by Kaz Matsui's fourth leadoff homer of the season, but fell behind 4-3 before coming back against Vladimir Nunez (3-2) in the eighth.
Jason Phillips drew a one-out walk and Joe McEwing came in to pinch-run. After Nunez struck out Mike Cameron, Wigginton followed with a two-run shot into the left-field bullpen to give the Mets a 5-4 lead.
COLORADONEW YORK
abrhbiabrhbi
LuGnzl 2b5010Matsui ss4111
Clayton ss5120DGrcia 2b3100
MaSwy 1b3010Floyd lf3110
Castilla 3b4100Piazza c4020
Burnitz cf4132VWilsn c0000
Hlliday lf1000KGarca rf3000
RReyes cf1000Spncer rf1000
Hawpe rf3000JPhllps 1b3011
Pellow rf2010McEwg 1b0100
CJhson c3111Cmeron cf4000
Cook p3011Wggntn 3b4122
Hrkala p0000Yates p2000
Greene ph1000Wheelr p0000
Fentes p0000Valent ph0000
VNunez p0000JoFrco p0000
Wthers p0000
Zeile ph1000
Looper p0000
Totals354104Totals32574
Colorado001120000--4
New York30000002x--5
E--LuGonzalez (1). DP--New York 1. LOB--Colorado 13, New York 7. 2B--Burnitz 2 (11). 3B--Burnitz (2). HR--CJohnson (9), Matsui (4), Wigginton (4). SB--Clayton (3). CS--Burnitz (3).
IPHRERBBSO
Colorado
Cook553314
Harikkala110012
Fuentes100001
VNunez L,3-2112212
New York
Yates4 1-364443
Wheeler1 2-320013
JoFranco110011
Weathers W,4-1100010
Looper S,7110002
HBP--by Yates (Castilla), by Yates (Burnitz), by Cook (DGarcia). WP--Cook. Umpires--Home, Matt Hollowell; First, Larry Vanover; Second, Sam Holbrook; Third, Paul Nauert. T--3:26. A--27,526.