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Giants Pull to Within 1/2 Game of 1st

Posted on: Thursday, 23 September 2004, 06:00 CDT

The San Francisco Giants moved within a half-game of first-place Los Angeles in the NL West and maintained a half-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card race by beating the Houston Astros 5-1 Wednesday night. The Giants are 9-1 in their last 10 games, with Noah Lowry winning three times.

Lowry is fitting in perfectly in the San Francisco Giants' rotation. The 23-year-old left-hander threw a five-hitter Wednesday to improve to 6-0 in 13 major league starts, the second-longest career-opening winning streak by a starter in franchise history.

"He has composure and mound presence well beyond his years," said Ray Durham, who helped back Lowry with a two-run double.

"Right now, the energy in the clubhouse is really high," Lowry said. "We're catching fire and all coming together."

In other NL games, it was: New York 3, Montreal 2; Cincinnati 11, Atlanta 8; Philadelphia 12, Florida 4; St. Louis 3, Milwaukee 2; and Colorado 4, Arizona 2.

Lowry, the former Pepperdine star who made four relief appearances without earning a decision last year, retired 10 of the first 12 Houston hitters, allowing a second-inning solo homer to Jeff Kent and a single two batters later.

"Guys told me that he had some guts, and he showed it," Kent said.

Lowry's 6-0 start is the best by a Giants starter since Hooks Wiltse set the major league record in 1904 by winning his first 12 career decisions for New York.

Barry Bonds had an RBI triple in the first, but didn't get a chance to swing after that. He was intentionally walked four times - the fourth time he's been issued four free passes in a game this season

The Giants took the lead in the fifth on Pedro Feliz's RBI single that scored Durham from second following a stolen base.

Roy Oswalt (18-10) failed to become the NL's first 19-game winner, allowing 10 hits - his most in 11 starts - and five earned runs in 5 2-3 innings.

Cubs 1, Pirates 0

At Pittsburgh, Carlos Zambrano (15-8) outdueled Oliver Perez (10-10) and beat the Pirates for the fifth straight time this season.

Sammy Sosa preserved the Cubs' sixth shutout with a sprawling, belly-flop catch on Ty Wigginton's bases-loaded, two-out line drive to right field in the eighth.

Zambrano is the first pitcher to beat the Pirates five times in a season since the Mets' Tom Seaver went 5-1 in 1973.

Phillies 12, Marlins 4

At Miami, Pat Burrell hit a three-run homer, and Eric Milton (14-4) won for the first time in more than a month, leading Philadelphia over Florida.

Mike Lieberthal, Jason Michaels and Placido Polanco each added two-run homers in the Phillies' second win in two nights in Florida after 14 straight at Pro Player Stadium.

Logan Kensing (0-3) allowed six runs and four hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Reds 11, Braves 8

At Atlanta, Javier Valentin hit a three-run homer to cap Cincinnati's five-run comeback in the ninth off Braves closer John Smoltz.

Smoltz (0-1) gave up four hits and five runs, walked a batter and threw two wild pitches while recording only one out. It was his fifth blown save in 45 chances this season.

Phil Norton (2-5) recorded one out in the eighth to earn the win.

Cardinals 3, Brewers 2

At Milwaukee, Larry Walker hit a two-run homer in the fifth, lifting St. Louis over the Brewers.

Woody Williams (11-7) gave up one run and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. Jason Isringhausen worked the ninth for his 44th save.

Ben Sheets (11-13) struck out eight and has 245 strikeouts this season, passing Teddy Higuera's franchise record of 240, set in 1987.

Mets 3, Expos 2

At Montreal, Mike Piazza's RBI single in the eighth helped New York end a three-game losing skid.

New York moved two games ahead of Montreal for fourth place in the NL East. The Expos have been in last place since April 15.

Bartolome Fortunato (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory in his first major league decision. Luis Ayala (6-12) was the loser.

Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 2

At Denver, Shawn Estes outpitched Randy Johnson, and Jeromy Burnitz hit his 37th homer to lift Colorado over Arizona.

Estes (15-7) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings to set the team record for wins in a season by a left-hander.

Johnson (14-14) gave up eight hits in seven innings, but still lowered his ERA to 2.69 by allowing just one earned run. It was the seventh time this season Johnson has lost after giving up two earned runs or less.

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