Watson Returns in Style

Allen Watson took a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning before needing relief help, but the San Francisco Giants held on to defeat the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, on Thursday at San Francisco.

Watson (7-8), returning from a ligament strain in his left elbow that had sidelined him since July 2, gave up a double to Marquis Grissom to start the game and then retired the next 20 batters.

Chipper Jones chased Watson with a three-run homer with one out in the ninth. Rod Beck closed for his 19th save.

Barry Bonds hit his 26th homer, highlighting a three-run first inning against Greg Maddux (10-8). Maddux had won eight in a row against the Giants.

The Giants won for only the eighth time in 32 games. Each of their last four victories has been by one run.

Chicago 10, Colorado 8--Mark Grace drove in four runs and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the ninth inning as the Cubs stopped the Rockies’ 11-game home winning streak at Denver.

Leo Gomez homered for Chicago, which had 17 hits. Vinny Castilla homered twice for the Rockies, who had 15 hits.

The game was tied, 8-8, in the fifth inning. The Cubs scored in each of their first five innings and, Colorado scored in its first four.

Grace drew a leadoff walk in the ninth from Bruce Ruffin (5-4). After Sammy Sosa struck out for the fourth time, Doug Glanville reached on a bunt single.

Grace and Glanville moved up on a wild pitch by Ruffin, and Scott Servias struck out. But Ruffin threw another wild pitch that enabled Grace to score, and Rey Sanchez followed with a run-scoring single.

Kent Bottenfield (2-1) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth when Sosa made a leaping catch against the right-field wall to rob Dante Bichette of extra bases. Bob Patterson got his third save.

Montreal 4, St. Louis 2--Rookie Ugueth Urbina and two relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Expos defeated the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Urbina (5-3), a 22-year-old right-hander, gave up three hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked two. Mel Rojas pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 16th save.

The score was tied, 2-2, when pinch-hitter F.P. Santangelo singled with two outs in the Montreal eighth off Mark Petkovsek (6-2). Santangelo stole second and scored on a single by Mark Grudzielanek.

The Expos added a run in the ninth on a run-scoring single by pinch-hitter Andy Stankiewicz.

Urbina had been 0-3 with a 6.28 earned-run average in his last five starts. The last time he faced St. Louis, on June 22 in Montreal, he lost 9-4 in his worst outing of the year.

Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 4--Orlando Merced drove in three runs and Jeff King had a two-run double as the Pirates defeated the Phillies at Pittsburgh, the Phillies’ 12th loss in 13 games.

Merced hit a two-run homer in the third off Russ Springer (2-9) to help the Pirates win their fourth consecutive game. Dan Miceli (2-6) won for the first time in four starts since he joined the rotation shortly before the All-Star break. Francisco Cordova pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save.

Benito Santiago was three for three with three runs batted in for the Phillies, hitting a two-run homer in the second and a run-scoring single in the fourth. Gregg Jefferies homered in the sixth.