It’s Getting Harder to Rapp the Giants

Pat Rapp, the forgotten non-White Sox pitcher acquired by San Francisco, finally got a chance to pitch.

Rapp won his first game for the Giants Wednesday in a 7-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Chicago. It was the Giants’ fourth consecutive victory and gave them a 2 1/2-game lead in the West.

“We’re playing like a team that’s in first place,” said Rich Aurilia, who drove in two runs for the Giants.

Glenallen Hill and Mark Lewis each hit solo home runs and Jeff Kent drove in two runs.

“We said in spring training that we had many interchangeable parts,” Giants Manager Dusty Baker said. “If everybody can play good together, it’ll be great.”

Rapp gave up six hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Cubs, walking two and striking out one.

“It was nice to go out there and pitch with no pain,” said Rapp (5-6), who won in his second start for the Giants since he was acquired July 18 from the Marlins for two minor league pitchers.

Rapp had strained a muscle in his left side while checking his swing in his first start July 19 and was placed on the disabled list.

“[Being hurt] made me feel worse on my nights to pitch when we weren’t winning,” he said. “I’m just going to pitch my heart out every time.”

Terry Mulholland (6-12) took the loss, his third in a row, and aggravated an injury to his right knee while warming up. He walked a career-high six and gave up seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia 6, Houston 4--Mike Lieberthal hit a three-run homer and rookies Scott Rolen and Tony Barron hit solo shots for the Phillies at Philadelphia.

The Phillies have won seven of their last nine. The Astros have have lost three in a row.

Garrett Stephenson (6-5) gave up nine hits and four runs, three earned, while striking out two and walking two in seven innings. Ricky Bottalico pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Loser Ramon Garcia (4-8) allowed seven hits and five runs, but only one earned, in four-plus innings.

Barron went two for three with a run scored, while Rolen, who has hit in 13 consecutive games, scored two runs.

A two-out error by Garcia set the Phillies up for a four-run first inning.

Atlanta 4, St. Louis 3--Pinch-hitter Danny Bautista homered to lead off the ninth inning, giving the Braves the victory at Atlanta.

Bautista, batting for a slumping Ryan Klesko, hit a 1-1 pitch from Mark Petkovsek (4-5) to center for his third homer. The shot sent the Cardinals to their fourth consecutive defeat and seventh in nine games.

Mark Wohlers (3-4) pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out two, to gain the victory for the Braves, who returned home after losing four of six games on the road--including three of four to Florida.

The Braves tied it at 3-3 in the sixth on three consecutive two-out hits off St. Louis starter Andy Benes--singles by Jeff Blauser and Chipper Jones and a two-run double by Fred McGriff.

Benes went 7 2/3 innings, giving up six hits and three runs.

Colorado 4, New York 0--Rookie John Thomson pitched a four-hitter for his first major league shutout and knocked in a run for the Rockies at New York.

Thomson (4-6) let only two runners to reach second base as he struck out two and walked three while pitching his second complete-game victory in his 17th start. Thomson’s last complete game victory was a 9-2 win June 1 at Florida.

Loser Dave Mlicki (5-8) gave up three runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking three before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth.

Ellis Burks hit his 19th home run while Andres Galarraga, in his first game after a three-game suspension, had three singles.

Florida 12, Pittsburgh 3--Moises Alou and Charles Johnson each knocked in four runs, scoring four times in each of the first two innings at Pittsburgh.

Alou was four for five and Johnson had a homer and double as the Marlins sent 10 batters to the plate in both the first and second innings. Pirate starter Esteban Loaiza failed to retire a hitter, giving up four runs, three earned, on five hits, lasting only 15 minutes into the game.

Kevin Brown (10-8) gave up six hits over seven innings in Florida’s fourth consecutive victory and eighth in nine games. The Marlins stayed 4 1/2 games behind Atlanta--the Braves’ smallest lead since July 3.

All seven Marlins batters who faced Loaiza reached base, on five hits, third baseman Joe Randa’s error and a walk.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Moises Alou

Team: Florida

Performance: 4 for 5, 4 RBI, homer, double, 2 singles

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Charles Johnson

Team: Florida

Performance: 2 for 4, 4 RBI, homer, double

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Andres Galarraga

Team: Colorado

Performance: 3 for 5, 3 singles

Team’s Result: Win

PITCHING

Player: John Thomson

Team: Colorado

Performance: 9 innings, 4 hits, no runs, 2 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Pat Rapp

Team: San Francisco

Performance: 5 1/3 innings, 6 hits, 1 strikeout

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Kevin Brown

Team: Florida

Performance: 7 innings, 6 hits, 9 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win