Arizona Offense Missing Against Person

Robert Person is pitching like an ace.

Person gave up one run in eight innings and Marlon Anderson’s RBI single drove in the go-ahead run as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1, Monday night at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

Person (12-6) gave up five hits, tied a career high with 11 strikeouts and won for the eighth time in nine decisions as the Phillies closed within one game of first-place Atlanta in the National League East.

The right-hander is 6-1 after Phillies losses. He has two of Philadelphia’s three victories in the last 11 games.

Reggie Sanders hit his career-high 29th homer and fourth in four games for Arizona, whose lead over San Francisco in the West was cut to 21/2 games.

Person, facing the Diamondbacks for the first time since receiving a six-game suspension for hitting Sanders in a 6-1 loss on May 13, retired 11 of his last 13 batters.

“Person has been unbelievable,” Phillie Manager Larry Bowa said. “He has been a stopper. We need a little leadership in that rotation down the stretch and he’s doing that now.”

Anderson, batting fifth for the first time this season, gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead with a two-out single in the sixth that scored Doug Glanville, who led off with a double.

Anderson went to second on the throw home and scored on Kevin Jordan’s single.

Phillie third baseman Scott Rolen missed his fourth straight game with a strained ribcage, but he said he expects to play tonight.

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San Diego 8, Florida 3--Damian Jackson hit a three-run homer and Phil Nevin added a solo shot as the Padres cruised at Miami. The Padres roughed up Marlin starter A.J. Burnett, who pitched a no-hitter against them May 12 in San Diego.

Burnett (9-10) gave up seven runs on eight hits and five walks in five innings.

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Milwaukee 12, Pittsburgh 5--Richie Sexson hit two home runs and drove in five runs at Milwaukee to help Rocky Coppinger win for the first time in nearly two years.

Coppinger, who missed all of last season recovering from elbow surgery, gave up three runs in five innings for his first win since Oct. 1, 1999.

Sexson hit a two-run home run to highlight a five-run fourth and then hit his career-high 32nd homer in the sixth.