Byrd Posts Another Victory for Braves

Paul Byrd won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly two years, giving up two runs in his longest outing of the season to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday at Phoenix.

“I’ve been able to throw strikes this year,” Byrd said. “That’s one thing coming back from Tommy John surgery, is they said it takes awhile to get the feel on the ball, and I haven’t noticed that.”

The Braves won for the ninth time in 10 games and improved to 17-5 since the All-Star break.

Quinton McCracken hit a leadoff home run and a sacrifice fly for the Diamondbacks, who skidded to their 22nd loss in 26 games.

The defeat left Arizona (35-77) a franchise-record 42 games below .500.

Byrd (4-3), who sat out last season because of elbow problems, gave up five hits and no walks in 7 1/3 innings -- his best start since working seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over Cleveland on June 19. That was his first outing since having ligament-replacement surgery on his right elbow July 1, 2003.

Byrd also beat the New York Mets, 6-5, last Sunday. The last time Byrd won back-to-back starts was Sept. 14-19, 2002, for the Kansas City Royals.

McCracken jumped on Byrd’s second pitch for Arizona’s 11th leadoff homer, third this season. But the right-hander retired 21 of the next 23 batters -- yielding only Luis Terrero’s bunt single in the fourth and a single by McCracken in the sixth.

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Florida 5, Milwaukee 0 -- Jeff Conine hit a grand slam in the first inning at Miami, and Ismael Valdez pitched six strong innings to win in his Marlin debut.

Valdez (10-6), acquired a week ago in a trade with San Diego, gave up two hits. The outing was the longest in his last eight starts, and he reached double figures in victories for the first time since 1998.

He extended his streak of shutout innings against the Brewers to 15, and he improved to 3-0 against them this year with an ERA of 0.86.

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Montreal 8, Houston 3 -- Jon Rauch pitched six solid innings a day after being recalled from triple-A Edmonton, and Alex Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to lead the Expos at Houston.

Rauch (1-0), acquired with right-hander Gary Majewski from the Chicago White Sox in a trade for Carl Everett on July 18, yielded three runs and seven hits to help the Expos end a three-game losing streak.

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Colorado 9, Cincinnati 5 -- The Rockies used a five-run sixth inning to beat the Reds at Coors Field.

Jorge Piedra drove in two runs with his first major league hit. The Rockies recalled Piedra from triple-A Colorado Springs before the game to replace outfielder Larry Walker, who was traded to St. Louis.

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Pittsburgh 3, San Diego 1 -- At San Diego, Kip Wells yielded four hits in 8 1/3 innings for his first win since July 5, and the Pirates ended a five-game losing streak. Wells (5-6) gave up a hit and a walk in the ninth to fall two outs short of his first complete game since Sept. 7, 2003.