Tag This One Controversial as Braves Win

A close play at the plate sent the Atlanta Braves into the All-Star break with a 12 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Mets.

Michael Tucker scored on a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning Sunday, giving the Atlanta Braves a 3-2 victory at Atlanta and a three-game sweep. Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez ruled that Tucker slid under catcher Mike Piazza’s tag, and reliever John Franco, Piazza and Manager Bobby Valentine protested vehemently.

Television replays were inconclusive, but they did show some of the Mets making contact with Hernandez as they argued.

It was the Braves’ season-high eighth consecutive victory.

Franco (0-2) hit Tucker on the right elbow to open the 11th. Andruw Jones, attempting to sacrifice, got a bunt single when first baseman John Olerud failed on a diving attempt to catch his pop-up.

After Gerald Williams popped to Olerud, Franco hit Eddie Perez on the left elbow with an 0-2 pitch, loading the bases.

Walt Weiss lined out to shallow left, and Bernard Gilkey’s throw beat Tucker to the plate. But Hernandez ruled that Tucker had slid under the tag.

“He ruled that the guy’s foot was in before there was a tag,” Marsh said.

“It was ridiculous,” Piazza said. “I was on the plate. He didn’t ever reach the plate. I thought it was a dirty slide. I got a chunk of my leg [ripped] out.”

Tucker claimed he slid under the tag of Piazza, who sustained a deep thigh bruise on the play.

“He tagged me up on the knee. If he tagged me there, where was my foot at?” Tucker said. “He was on the back portion of the plate. The umpire never hesitated. His first call was a safe call, not an out call. Then he made it unusually clear two more times by spreading his hands in a safe sign.”

Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 1--The Cardinals again failed to turn a double play, setting up the Reds’ winning rally at Cincinnati, in a victory that gave them a three-game sweep.

Rookie second baseman Placido Polanco missed the base with his foot while making a pivot in the sixth, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Brook Fordyce followed with a bases-loaded single for a 4-1 lead.

The Cardinals’ up-the-middle defense played a big role in the series, failing to turn three double plays and setting up a Reds’ rally each time.

After losing 11 consecutive games to become an afterthought in the Central Division , the Reds have won nine of their last 10 games. And they’ve done it while the front office trades away veterans--Lenny Harris on Friday, Jeff Shaw on Saturday--for prospects.

“We hadn’t been getting the breaks,” said Brett Tomko (8-6), who allowed one run on six hits in six innings to win his third consecutive start. “Now everything [positive] seems to be happening. We’re getting a break here or there.”

The Cardinals, meanwhile, held a 55-minute meeting after losing for the 10th time in 12 games and being swept three games in Cincinnati for the first time since 1986.

Mark McGwire remained at 37 homers--tied with Reggie Jackson for most before the All-Star break--by going 0-for-3 with a walk. McGwire, who has not hit a homer in his last five games, also made an error and was doubled up on a fly ball.

Florida 2, Montreal 1--Brian Meadows won his third consecutive decision and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to lead the Marlins at Montreal.

Meadows (7-6) allowed one run on nine hits, struck out five and walked one as Florida won for the fifth time in seven games. Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 3--Scott Rolen hit a three-run homer and rookie Carlton Loewer allowed only three runs over seven innings at Philadelphia as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep.

The victory gave the Phillies a 43-42 record at the All-Star break, the first time they’ve been over .500 at the break since 1995. The Brewers (also 43-42) have a winning record at the break for the first time since 1992.

Houston 5, Arizona 2--Brad Ausmus drove in three runs, Moises Alou and Craig Biggio homered and Sean Bergman recorded his career-high eighth victory.

Bergman (8-4) pitched five innings at Houston, allowing five hits and two runs while walking five and striking out two.

Willie Blair (3-12), who leads the majors in losses, gave up a two-run double to Amus in the fourth.

Chicago 7, Pittsburgh 6--Jose Hernandez hit a tie-breaking two-run single with two outs in the eighth, completing a late comeback at Chicago and giving the Cubs their fifth victory in a row.