The Associated Press

Chicago Cubs manager Don Baylor lashed into his team with an obscenity-laced tirade.

Monday, April 24, 2000

Chicago Cubs manager Don Baylor lashed into his team with an obscenity-laced tirade. Cincinnati skipper Jack McKeon could barely speak.

That’s what a weekend’s worth of pummeling will do to a manager.

Kevin Tapani dropped his 12th straight decision as the Cubs lost for the seventh time in eight games, 15-8 to the New York Mets on Sunday.

”I’m not going to be embarrassed like that,” said Baylor, whose team was swept in a three-game series in New York. ”I don’t expect to lose. It’s how you lose, and I’m tired of the way we’re losing.”

In Cincinnati, Shawn Green homered during an eight-run sixth inning as the Dodgers finished off their first road sweep against the Reds in 12 years with an 11-3 victory.

The Dodgers piled up 36 runs and 37 hits with eight homers in the three-game series.

”You go through streaks like this. It’s kind of like the ‘Barefoot Bears,’ or whatever you call ’em,” McKeon said. ”But you can’t panic.”

The skid by Tapani (0-3) is the second-longest in the 125-year history of the Cubs. Dutch McCall dropped 13 consecutive decisions in 1948.

”I tried to do a lot of things, and nothing was able to click,” said Tapani, who allowed a career-high 10 runs in 3 2-3 innings. ”I couldn’t keep it in the ballpark.”

On an afternoon in which little went right other than Sammy Sosa’s home run – there was a collision on an easy popup – the Cubs found no luck at the end of the day, either. Their plane to Houston was delayed, stuck in upstate New York.

Derek Bell went 4-for-4 with a homer, three runs and four RBIs, and Mike Piazza went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for the Mets, who won their seventh straight.

”It’s a wave,” Piazza said. ”You just want to ride it as long as you can.”

Mike Hampton (2-3) won his second straight start.

Braves 5, Pirates 3

Andres Galarraga hit a tiebreaking homer off Francisco Cordova, (1-2) his seventh homer, and Greg Maddux (3-0) pitched 7 2-3 innings as host Atlanta won its seventh straight.

John Rocker got four outs for his third save.

Expos 6, Brewers 4

Vladimir Guerrero went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and was walked intentionally with first base occupied during host Montreal’s four-run fourth.

Javier Vazquez (2-0) pitched seven innings, allowing four hits, including a three-run homer to Geoff Jenkins. Ugueth Urbina finished for his fifth save.

Guerrero was walked intentionally with runners on first and third and two outs in the fourth after Rondell White singled in the go-ahead run off Jaime Navarro (0-4).

Padres 11, Astros 10

Eric Owens’ two-run single keyed a four-run eighth inning as San Diego rallied to beat Houston.

Owens went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and four RBIs as San Diego swept its first series in Houston since 1996. The Astros have lost nine of their last 12, and are 2-7 in Enron Field.

Ryan Klesko hit a tiebreaking RBI single off Billy Wagner (0-1) in the eighth.

Ken Caminiti went 2-for-3 with two homers and five RBIs for Houston.

Matt Whisenant (2-0) got the win and Trevor Hoffman got his fourth save.

Marlins 5, Phillies 2

Brad Penny settled down after needing a five-minute break in the second inning, allowing two runs in 6 1-3 innings for host Florida.

Penny (3-1) called for the trainer after retiring Scott Rolen to lead off the second inning. He complained that he was lightheaded and was ”seeing spots.”

Florida’s Brant Brown hit a solo homer and Mike Lowell had a two-run shot off Robert Person (1-1). Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Giants 12, Diamondbacks 7

Bill Mueller and Bobby Estalella homered during San Francisco’s eight-run first inning at Arizona.

Barry Bonds hit his 453rd home run, a two-run shot in the ninth, to take sole possession of 21st place on the career list. Jeff Kent and Rich Aurilia also homered.

Armando Reynoso (1-3) allowed seven runs without retiring a batter in the first for Arizona.

Joe Nathan (1-0) got the win.

Cardinals 6, Rockies 3, 6 1/2 innings

Mark McGwire hit his second upper-deck home run in as many days and Placido Polanco had a grand slam off Scott Karl (0-2) as St. Louis raised its NL-record April total to 44 homers with a rain-shortened home win.

The Cardinals have homered in 15 straight games, two shy of the team record set in 1998, with 34 during the streak. The game was called after 6 1-2 innings following a rain delay of 1 hour, 56 minutes.

Andy Benes (2-1) struck out nine in six innings.