Homers Are a Habit for Expos’ Rodriguez

Memo to National League pitchers: Start throwing Henry Rodriguez curveballs.

The Expos’ Rodriguez homered for the fourth game in a row Wednesday and Shane Andrews singled in the winning run in the 10th inning of a 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Montreal.

Nothing to it.

“They just throw me fastballs and I hit it,” said Rodriguez, whose homer came in the first inning. “The way I feel right now I just have to go out and swing the bat.”

That’s the way it has been lately. Rodriguez has six homers in his last 17 at-bats. He tied a Montreal record by homering in four consecutive games, and the former Dodger has helped the Expos to six victories in a row.

Mike Dyer (2-0) was the beneficiary of Andrews’ game-winning hit.

“It’s fun being a pitcher on this ball club right now,” said Dyer, who worked 1 1/3 innings Tuesday in a win over St. Louis. “Every night it’s a different guy that’s getting it done.”

In the 10th inning, Marcus Moore (1-2) walked Dave Silvestri with one out, Darrin Fletcher singled and Andrews, a pinch-hitter, lined Moore’s first pitch into left field to send Cincinnati to its fourth consecutive loss.

San Diego 5, Chicago 4--Steve Finley hit a leadoff homer and Archi Cianfrocco had a two-run single as the Padres jumped on Cub starter Kevin Foster and held on at San Diego.

Atlanta 8, San Francisco 3--Fred McGriff homered for the first time in 18 games, a two-run shot, and Chipper Jones went four for five with a two-run homer for the Braves at San Francisco.

John Smoltz (4-1) gave up three runs on seven hits over eight innings, striking out five. He shut out the Giants until Matt Williams’ three-run homer tied it, 3-3, in the sixth.

St. Louis 9, New York 4--Slumping Ray Lankford had a two-run double and sacrifice fly and Ron Gant ended a two-for-28 skid with a run-scoring single and two-run triple for the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Philadelphia 10, Colorado 8--Pete Incaviglia and Todd Zeile each drove in three runs, and the Phillies used 11 walks in a victory at Denver that stopped a three-game Rockies’ winning streak.

Pittsburgh 6, Florida 3--Denny Neagle (2-1) limited the Marlins to two runs in 7 2/3 innings and Jeff King had a two-run double for Pirates in a victory in Pittsburgh.