Kevin Foster

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.

Learning to field a new position hasn't affected Eric Anthony's contributions at the plate. Anthony, making only his fourth start at first base, went four for five, drove in four runs and scored three times in the Cincinnati Reds' 10-4 victory over the Phillies Thursday at Philadelphia. Anthony, who has played outfield for almost all his professional career, made a ninth-inning error that was inconsequential.

Houston reliever Todd Jones hurt the Astros' chances of winning the National League wild card Wednesday by walking the bases loaded in the 11th inning at Houston. Mike Henneman was almost as much to blame, giving up a two-run single to Rich Aude that led Pittsburgh to a 6-3 victory. "This has got to be one of the toughest things I've had to face," Jones said. "The team was struggling and I didn't do my job."

Two hit batsmen helped the Colorado Rockies put the game out of reach and pulled them closer to first place. The cost, however, may have been too high for the Rockies. Andres Galarraga suffered a broken right right hand when he was hit by a pitch during Thursday's 5-1 victory over the Giants at San Francisco. Galarraga, who was batting .

MEN Cal State Fullerton 106, at UC Davis 95: Guard Josh Akognon scored 29 points, including seven three-point baskets, to lead the Titans (13-12, 7-6 Big West). Aaron Thompson had 19 points and Gerard Anderson scored 18 for Fullerton. Vince Oliver had 32 points for the Aggies (11-14, 6-6). at Cal State Northridge 77, UC Riverside 64: Josh Jenkins scored 19 points to help Matadors Coach Bobby Braswell get his 200th career victory.

With the game in hand, Jeff Frye decided to pull up for the cycle instead of going for a double. Frye became the second Toronto Blue Jay player to hit for the cycle and was one of four Blue Jays who homered against reliever Pat Mahomes on Friday night in the sixth inning of an 11-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. Frye stopped at first base to complete the fourth major league cycle this season instead of continuing on for his second double of the game.

Philadelphia Phillie closer Jose Mesa was suspended two games on Monday for throwing at St. Louis' Jim Edmonds last week. Mesa will miss games against the New York Mets today and Wednesday but was eligible to play Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mesa, who got his 34th save Monday, would not comment on the suspension. He was ejected in the eighth inning of a 9-0 loss at St. Louis on Aug.

Cal State Fullerton 79, at Southern Illinois Edwardsville 57: D.J. Seeley scored 24 points and Isiah Umipig added 18 as the Titans (4-3) never trailed. Kwame Vaughn had 15 points and nine rebounds for Fullerton. Cal State Fullerton had a 45-41 lead in the second half when Umipig sparked a 17-7 run with two three-pointers. Mark Yelovich scored 14 points for the Cougars (1-5). at Pepperdine 73, Hawaii 67: Corbin Moore scored 17 points to lead four players in double figures for the Waves (4-3)

You could look at it as though the Cubs got even. It's a stretch, but the Cubs will take what they can get, even if it's an 8-3 victory over the White Sox on Monday at Comiskey Park. The last time the teams played each other in a meaningful game was Oct. 14, 1906, when the White Sox won, 8-3, in the sixth and final game of the World Series. "For the first time in a long time I was excited and nervous," Cub first baseman Mark Grace said. "It was a fun atmosphere. It was pretty intense.

The Chicago Cubs' resurgence lost some steam at Coors Field and the Colorado Rockies powered their way to an 11-5 victory Wednesday night. The Cubs, who started the season 0-14, had won four of their previous five games before being confronted by Larry Walker and the Rockies. Walker homered, giving him 11 for April, which ties the National League record. He's batting .456. "I am seeing the ball well. I am reacting to all pitches," Walker said. Cub Manager Jim Riggleman said, "He is unpitchable."