Rookie, Jones Lead Atlanta in Rout

Perhaps the Atlanta Braves don’t need David Justice, and maybe Fred McGriff isn’t that important after all.

All Atlanta needed Monday was rookie Tyler Houston and a few hits from Chipper Jones, and they were on their way to a fourth consecutive victory--an 18-1 rout of the Chicago Cubs at Atlanta.

Houston replaced Fred McGriff in the fifth inning and collected five runs batted in. Jones added five of his own, and the Braves scored their most runs in more than two years, all without injured outfielder Justice.

“You take a guy like [Justice] out of the middle of the lineup, and you don’t know how the rest of the team is going to react,” Jones said.

Jones, who had four hits and two RBIs on Sunday, keyed a seven-run second inning with a three-run homer and went three for five.

Steve Avery (5-3) gave up five hits and struck out six in six innings.

St. Louis 5, Houston 3--Donovan Osborne scattered eight hits for his first complete game in nearly three years, and Ray Lankford drove in the go-ahead run as the Cardinals won at Houston.

With the score tied, 2-2, in the seventh inning, Luis Alicia led off with a double and Mark Sweeney was walked intentionally with one out. Royce Clayton loaded the bases with a bunt single and Drabek struck out Willie McGee. Lankford then singled to center field to drive in the winning run.

Florida 5, Cincinnati 3--Craig Grebeck drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a single, helping the Marlins defeat the slumping Reds at Cincinnati.

Pat Rapp (3-4) gave up five hits over 6 2/3 innings while sending the Reds to their sixth consecutive loss and their 15th in 22 games.

After Barry Larkin’s sixth homer tied it in the third inning, Grebeck put the Marlins ahead to stay in the fourth. Gary Sheffield singled, Pendleton walked and Grebeck hit an RBI single to right field.

Colorado 10, Pittsburgh 7--Eric Young homered and added a run-scoring single as the Rockies stretched their winning streak to a season-high five games.

Ellis Burks, Larry Walker and Andres Galarraga also drove in two runs each for the Rockies.

Armando Reynoso (3-3) won for the first time since May 3, giving up three runs and seven hits in six innings.

San Francisco 9, Montreal 6--Tom Lampkin drew a bases-loaded walk to snap a 6-6 tie as the host Giants scored five runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Expos.

Trailing, 6-4, entering the eighth, Robby Thompson singled with one out off reliever Tim Scott. After Barry Bonds popped up, Matt Williams doubled and Thompson scored on Cliff Floyd’s error.

Mike Dyer (3-1) walked Glenallen Hill and Dave McCarty to load the bases before giving up Shawon Dunston’s RBI infield single. Dyer then walked Lampkin on five pitches, bringing in Hill with the go-ahead run.