Phillies in First at All-Star Break

Brady Anderson hit a bases-loaded triple in his first at-bat in 10 games as the Baltimore Orioles snapped a four-game skid by beating Philadelphia 4-3 Saturday night.

Chris Richard went 4-for-4 and Jay Gibbons homered for the Orioles, who improved to 2-4 against Philadelphia this season.

Anderson`s key hit, in the sixth inning, came one day after manager Mike Hargrove told the 37-year-old outfielder his playing time would be reduced to make way for Gibbons and Richard.

The interleague game drew a crowd of 49,072, a regular-season record at 10-year-old Camden Yards. A portion of the fans took the 2-hour drive down I-95 to cheer for the NL East-leading Phillies, who were seeking their eighth win in 10 games.

Philadelphia led 1-0 before Baltimore snapped a string of 13 straight scoreless innings with a three-run sixth. After giving up two straight singles, Phillies starter Nelson Figueroa (1-1) was replaced by Wayne Gomes.

A bunt moved the runners to second and third, and Melvin Mora was walked intentionally before Fernando Lunar struck out. Anderson followed by hitting an 0-2 pitch off the right-field scoreboard.

Anderson entered the game during a series of moves following the ejection of second baseman Jerry Hairston, who angrily threw down his bat after a fourth-inning strikeout. Anderson stepped into the leadoff spot vacated by Hairston.

Sidelined for a week because of a sore shoulder, it was Anderson`s first at-bat since June 26.

Jason Johnson (8-5) allowed five hits and one unearned run in six innings, and Buddy Groom got five outs for his sixth save.

Gibbons` 11th homer, the ninth in 18 games, made it 4-1 in the seventh.

Three walks and a two-run double by pinch-hitter Brian Hunter drew the Phillies to 4-3 in the eighth, but with runners at second and third, Groom retired Johnny Estrada and Marlon Anderson on groundouts.

Two Baltimore errors enabled the Phillies to score an unearned run in the first inning. Jimmy Rollins reached on a throwing error by first baseman David Segui, then took third when Johnson threw wildly on an attempted pickoff throw. After a walk, Scott Rolen hit an RBI single.

Figueroa issued three walks in the bottom half, then got Tony Batista to hit into a double play. Batista also left the bases loaded in the third, but his single started the pivotal sixth inning.

Notes: Orioles rookie Brian Roberts has hit in 13 straight games and Cal Ripken has hit in 12 in a row. ... Philadelphia`s Doug Glanville had two hits and is 9-for-25 against Baltimore this season. ... Richard, in his third day back from the disabled list, got his first hits since June 19.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News