NL Capsules

PHOENIX (AP) Kevin Brown, in a performance that bodes well for the Los Angeles Dodgers, shut down the Arizona Diamondbacks on three hits in six-plus innings of a 5-0 victory Wednesday night.

Shawn Green was 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and three RBIs as the Dodgers took two of three in the season-opening series between NL West squads. Both Los Angeles wins were shutouts.

Brian Jordan homered for the second time in three games.

Elmer Dessens (0-1), in his Arizona debut, allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings.

The 38-year-old Brown (1-0) has been plagued by injuries the past two seasons, but had a strong spring and was in command of the Diamondbacks from the start.< ^Mets 4, Cubs 1=

NEW YORK (AP) Sammy Sosa just missed his 500th homer, and Al Leiter threw six sharp innings for New York.

Leiter (1-0) gave the Mets the type of pitching performance they lacked in Tom Glavine's debut, a 15-2 drubbing in Monday's opener. Cliff Floyd and Roger Cedeno homered, giving manager Art Howe his first victory in a New York uniform.

The Mets won minus All-Star catcher Mike Piazza, who began serving his four-game suspension for charging Los Angeles reliever Guillermo Mota and going into the Dodgers' clubhouse looking for him in spring training.

Sosa's long drive to left in the sixth could have tied it for the Cubs, but the wind helped keep the ball in play for a harmless out.

Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his first save.

Matt Clement (0-1) tied a Cubs record by throwing three wild pitches in one inning. He was pulled after three innings because of tightness in his left lower back.< ^Expos 3, Braves 0=

ATLANTA (AP) Zach Day and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Jose Vidro hit a two-run homer to lead Montreal.

The vagabond Expos, who won't play in Montreal until April 22, have outscored the Braves 13-2 in the first two games at Turner Field. Atlanta is 0-2 for the first time in six years.

Vidro hit a two-run shot in the first inning, sending rookie Braves starter Horacio Ramirez (0-1) to a hard-luck loss in his major league debut.

Day (1-0), making just his third big league start, allowed three hits in seven innings. Atlanta got only one runner past second base.

Rocky Biddle worked the ninth for his second career save.< ^Phillies 8, Marlins 2=

MIAMI (AP) Randy Wolf (1-0) took a one-hitter into the seventh inning, Jim Thome had two more hits and Mike Lieberthal added a bases-loaded triple for Philadelphia.

It was pretty similar to Monday's opener, when Kevin Millwood took a shutout into the sixth, Thome had three hits and David Bell added two singles and scored three times in Philadelphia's 8-5 victory

The biggest difference Wednesday: the crowd at Pro Player Stadium. The opener drew 37,137 fans; fewer than 10,600 showed for the second game of the season.

Carl Pavano (0-1) allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings.< ^Pirates 7, Reds 4=

CINCINNATI (AP) Kevin Young and Jason Kendall hit two-run homers off Josias Manzanillo (0-1) in the eighth inning, and Pittsburgh kept Cincinnati winless in its new ballpark.

Austin Kearns and Ken Griffey Jr. got the Reds' first homers in Great American Ball Park as the home team finally cozied up and took its first lead, 4-3.

But it ended the way every other game has at the Reds' new place with the home team's pitchers getting jeered off the field.

The Reds lost two exhibitions to the Cleveland Indians and their first two games against the Pirates, including a 10-1 drubbing in the season opener.

Randall Simon hit a three-run shot for Pittsburgh. Salomon Torres (1-0) threw a scoreless inning, and Mike Williams pitched the ninth for the save.< ^Cardinals 7, Brewers 0=

ST. LOUIS (AP) Woody Williams pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and Mike Matheny had three hits and two RBIs to lead St. Louis over Milwaukee.

Williams, limited to 17 starts last season by a pulled muscle in his left side, didn't allow a hit until Eric Young tripled to right with two outs in the sixth.

The Brewers' only other hit against Williams (1-0) was a one-out single by Jeffrey Hammonds in the seventh. The right-hander struck out five and walked one in 6 2-3 innings. Four relievers finished the five-hitter.

Glendon Rusch (0-1) lasted five innings, allowing seven runs on 11 hits.< ^Astros 8, Rockies 7=

HOUSTON (AP) Craig Biggio's two-run single capped a five-run rally in the ninth inning, giving Houston a win over Colorado.

Jose Jimenez (0-1) entered with a 7-3 lead and gave up six hits while retiring just one batter. Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent loaded the bases with singles, and Richard Hidalgo hit a two-run double.

After Brad Ausmus bunted into a forceout at third, Orlando Merced pinch hit for Billy Wagner (1-0) and had an RBI double that made it 7-6. Jose Vizcaino was intentionally walked, and Biggio singled to left.

It was the first time in 11 years that Houston overcame a four-run deficit in the ninth inning to win, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's statistician.

It also was the first time Colorado, which began play in 1993, ever lost on the road after leading by four runs in the ninth.<

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