Jenkins Plays Long Ball Again

Geoff Jenkins has taken a liking to new Miller Park.

Jenkins homered twice, tying a major league record with five home runs in two games, and Jamey Wright pitched his first career shutout as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Montreal Expos, 10-0, Sunday.

“He’s hitting everything on the screws,� Wright said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s incredible.�

Jenkins, who had three home runs and six runs batted in Saturday at Milwaukee’s new hitter-friendly stadium, hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the sixth to become the 22nd player to hit five in two games and the first National League player to do it in 10 years.

Barry Larkin hit five on June 27-28, 1991. Manny Ramirez was the most recent American League player to hit five Sept. 15-16, 1998.

“If he can deliver like that, I’ll take it,� Milwaukee Manager Davey Lopes said. “Everything he does right now is very positive.�

Jenkins also had a two-run double and a run-scoring single to match career highs with four hits and six RBIs. He also scored three times.

He has more than doubled his production in two days. He had only four homers and 11 RBIs in his first 22 games of the year.

“I don’t know how to explain it,� Jenkins said. “But we’re playing with some confidence right now.�

St. Louis 12, New York 1--The Cardinals matched their season bests for hits (18) and runs. It was the second blowout in the three-game series at St. Louis, which won, 9-0, Friday.

The Mets, who defeated the Cardinals in the NL championship series last fall, have lost five of six and are in last place in the NL East after completing a 3-6 road trip.

They played most of Sunday without catcher Mike Piazza, ejected for slamming his mask to the ground during an argument over a play at the plate in the second inning.

Met left fielder Benny Agbayani committed three errors in the first four innings, tying a club record shared by several players.

Colorado 14, Cincinnati 7--Refusing to be swept at home, the Rockies rebounded from 3-1 and 7-3 deficits thanks to an 18-hit attack and a solid debut by rookie pitcher Shawn Chacon.

Larry Walker’s two-run double highlighted a six-run sixth inning as the Rockies salvaged the final game of a three-game series. Walker finished with three RBIs.

The Reds had won nine in a row on the road and five consecutive overall.

Chacon, promoted from triple-A Colorado Springs when Mike Hampton was scratched from his scheduled start because of lingering stiffness in his neck, yielded only Aaron Boone’s homer in five innings before giving up four runs in the sixth.

Chicago 11, San Francisco 2--Sammy Sosa ended a seven-game homer drought with a three-run shot to help the Cubs at San Francisco.

With the score tied, 1-1, in the fifth inning, former Giant Bill Mueller singled in the go-ahead run before Sosa’s homer off Livan Hernandez (1-4).

Sosa, who hit 179 home runs the previous three seasons, had not homered since his grand slam off Pittsburgh’s Jose Silva on April 20.

San Diego 6, Pittsburgh 1--Phil Nevin hit a homer and drove in three runs, and Woody Williams pitched 7 2/3 solid innings at San Diego.

Williams (2-3) gave up a leadoff single in the first and a double in the fifth then retired 10 consecutive batters before giving up a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. The Padres have won three of four, outscoring the opposition, 23-2, in the victories.

Florida 11, Houston 5--Charles Johnson hit two home runs, and Preston Wilson and Mike Lowell each homered and drove in three runs at Houston.

Florida had season highs for runs, hits (19) and tied the club record for home runs (four) in a game.

The Marlins set a franchise record for homers in a month with 35.

Arizona 7, Atlanta 5--Luis Gonzalez just missed a record-breaking 14th April homer, hitting a towering triple off the center-field wall to give the Diamondbacks a 6-3 lead in the eighth at Phoenix. Gonzalez, who hit his 12th and 13th homers Thursday, tied the record for the month set by Ken Griffey Jr. in 1997.

The loss dropped the Braves to 12-14 in April, their first losing opening month in eight years.