Schilling Has Too Much for Expos

Curt Schilling struck out 14, and the Arizona Diamondbacks hit three consecutive home runs for the second time in six days to defeat the Montreal Expos, 6-3, Friday night at Phoenix.

Schilling (6-1) gave up five hits in seven innings, including solo homers by Vladimir Guerrero and Michael Barrett. The right-hander walked one to join teammate Randy Johnson as the only six-game winners in the majors.

Danny Bautista, Steve Finley and Damian Miller homered off Bruce Chen in the first inning to put Arizona ahead, 4-0.

Last Sunday in Miami against the Florida Marlins, Finley, Miller and Mark Grace hit consecutive home runs against Josh Beckett. Arizona had hit three homers in a row only once before in the franchise’s history.

Guerrero’s 10th homer of the season made it 4-2 in the sixth and Barrett, who also had an RBI single, cut it to 4-3 with a home run in the seventh.

Schilling, who also singled twice, reached double-digit strikeouts for the fourth time in his seven starts.

Jose Guillen hit a popup that hit a girder on the ballpark roof and came down in foul territory in the eighth, then homered on the next pitch to put Arizona ahead, 5-3.

Montreal loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but Byung Hyun-Kim--who pitched two innings Thursday night--struck out Brad Wilkerson to end the inning.

Kim then pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.

Plate umpire Larry Vanover threw Wilkerson out of the game when the batter threw his helmet down in disgust after the called third strike.

Even though it was a comfortable 83 degrees outside at game time, the roof at Bank One Ballpark was closed because Schilling likes it that way. He feels the ball carries farther when the roof is open.

Bautista--batting in Luis Gonzalez’s usual No. 3 spot--hit a high fly ball that barely cleared the fence in right field. Bautista has six homers this season, one more than he had all of last year.

Finley followed with a 427-foot shot to the porch in right-center, then Miller hit a 3-2 pitch into the left-field seats.

The Expos had not given up three consecutive homers since July 7, 1995.

Gonzalez, mired in an 0-for-19 slump, didn’t start for only the second time since the 1999 season. He came on in a double-switch in the eighth inning to keep his streak of consecutive games played alive at 356, longest among active players.

He doubled to end the slump with two outs in the eighth, then scored on Tony Womack’s single.

San Francisco 6, Cincinnati 1--Jeff Kent hit a three-run homer and Kirk Rueter came close to his first shutout since 1995 as the Giants won at San Francisco.

Kent’s one-out homer in the seventh inning off Jose Rijo (2-1) scored David Bell, who singled, and Barry Bonds, who walked.

Rueter (4-1) blanked the Reds for eight innings, but was pulled in the ninth after Sean Casey and Adam Dunn opened with singles.

Rueter has not thrown a complete game since June 29, 1999, against Colorado, a span of 87 starts. His last shutout was Aug. 27, 1995, with Montreal.

Pittsburgh 6, San Diego 4--Kip Wells pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning at San Diego and hit a home run as the Pirates broke out of their offensive slump to defeat the Padres.

Rob Mackowiak also homered as Pittsburgh ended its season-high four-game losing streak.

The Pirates were coming off being swept in a three-game series at Colorado in which they scored only two runs and had seven hits overall and became the first team in Coors Field history to be shut out in consecutive games.

Philadelphia 3, Colorado 2--Brandon Duckworth’s pitching and hitting sent the Phillies over the Rockies at Philadelphia, handing Colorado its first loss under new Manager Clint Hurdle.

Hurdle had been 6-0 since taking over when Buddy Bell was fired on April 26.

Duckworth (2-2) pitched 61/3 innings and also had an RBI single. He gave up two runs, seven hits and three walks.

New York 11, Houston 3--Jay Payton homered twice and John Valentin drove in four runs, leading Pedro Astacio and the Mets over the Astros at Houston.

Payton had the first multihomer game of his career, connecting with Jeromy Burnitz in a five-run ninth inning.

Astacio (5-1), who was traded from Colorado to Houston late last season, continued to pitch well since signing with the Mets as a free agent.

Florida 8, Milwaukee 4--Preston Wilson hit two home runs as the Marlins rallied at Milwaukee.

Wilson’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run burst in the seventh inning as the Marlins overcame a 3-1 deficit. He tied a career high with four RBIs.