Willis blanks Braves for 12th win

Published 12:00 am Sunday, June 26, 2005

ATLANTA (AP) - Dontrelle Willis pitched a five-hitter to become the NL's first 12-game winner, leading Florida over Atlanta 8-0.

Miguel Cabrera hit two homers and drove in a career-high six runs for the Marlins, who were outscored 13-0 in the first two games of the series, but used Willis' dominant outing to salvage the finale.

Willis (12-2) walked one and struck out seven in his third shutout of the season and fifth of his career. He stretched his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 19 in his eighth career complete game and fourth this season.

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Jorge Sosa (3-1) gave up only four hits and three runs in six innings, but two of the hits were Cabrera's 13th and 14th homers.

Cabrera added a two-run single off Braves reliever Adam Bernero in the Marlins' four-run seventh inning, and an RBI single off Dan Kolb in the ninth.

Diamondbacks 7, Giants 2

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Troy Glaus homered and Brandon Webb (8-3) pitched seven strong innings for his first win in nearly three weeks to lead Arizona over San Francisco.

Luis Gonzalez had two hits, drove in a run and scored for the Diamondbacks, who split the four-game series and concluded their second straight disappointing road trip at 4-6. Arizona has won only one of its last nine series since taking two of three at Detroit from May 20-22.

Shawn Green tripled and scored a run, and Quinton McCracken and Alex Cintron each added key eighth-inning RBI singles for Arizona. Chris Snyder was 0-for-10 in the series before hitting a double in the eighth.

Kirk Rueter (2-7) lost his fourth straight start and fifth consecutive decision and is winless in seven starts since May 13 at Houston.

Pirates 11, Cardinals 7

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Matt Morris lost for the first time this season, getting knocked out in the fourth inning as Pittsburgh ended its 12-game losing streak against the Cardinals.

Dave Williams (6-5), backed by a 5-1 lead in the third, allowed four runs - three earned - and six hits in six innings. He had been 0-2 against St. Louis this season.

Tike Redman and Jose Castillo had three hits each for the Pirates, who had not beaten the Cardinals since last Aug. 19. Pittsburgh, which had lost eight of its previous 10 games overall, took an 11-2 lead before the Cardinals closed.

St. Louis, which has lost three straight for the second time this season, made three errors, its highest total since a five-error game May 22 in a 9-2 loss to Kansas City.

Morris (8-1), unbeaten in 12 previous starts this season, was chased after two batters in the fourth inning, his shortest outing since he got six outs at San Diego on Sept. 8. He allowed six runs - just three earned - and seven hits.