NEW YORK, 22 May 2004 — Neifi Perez’s two-run, 10th-inning homer gave the San Francisco Giants a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the National League (NL) Thursday.

Perez tagged reliever Joe Borowski (2-2), who notched the win in Chicago’s extra-inning triumph over San Francisco Wednesday. It was Perez’s first homer of the year. He had only one in 328 at-bats in 2003.

Moises Alou, who homered in the 10th to win the game for the Cubs a day earlier, sent the contest into extra innings Thursday with another home run in the seventh frame.

Pedro Feliz also went deep for the Giants, who were again without slugger Barry Bonds due to back spasms.

Matt Herges (1-2) closed out with two perfect innings to earn the decision, leaving his ERA at 6.43. Four-times NL Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux started for host Chicago and went seven innings, scattering nine hits while striking out seven batters.

The 38-year-old right-hander did not walk a batter for the fourth straight outing.

The Giants had lost 10 of their previous 14 games.

In New York, St. Louis exploded for six runs in the ninth inning to turn a close game into a rout as the Cardinals romped past the Mets 11-4.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Scott Podsednik tagged closer Rocky Biddle with a ninth-inning homer to hand the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Expos.

Podsednik’s fourth homer of the campaign made a winner of Mike Adams (1-0), the fourth of five Milwaukee pitchers.

In Cincinnati, Paul Wilson (6-0) tossed eight innings of three-hit ball to notch his sixth straight victory as the Reds downed the Colorado Rockies 3-1.

In Philadelphia, the Phillies put up three quick runs and went on to defeat the Dodgers 4-0 to hand Los Angeles its seventh successive loss.

In Miami, Mike Lowell thumped two solo homers to help the Florida Marlins to a 6-2 triumph over the Houston Astros.

In Pittsburgh, the Pirates overcame a 6-1 first-inning deficit to edge the San Diego Padres 9-7. Former Padre Jason Bay and Daryle Ward both homered twice for the Pirates. Brian Giles replied for San Diego.

In Atlanta, Horacio Ramirez went all the way, scattering three hits while striking out five batters, to lift the Braves to a 5-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Hudson a Winner Again

as A’s Edge Tigers

Tim Hudson claimed his fifth victory of the season, despite being below his best, to help the host Oakland Athletics edge the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in the American League Thursday.

The A’s won the game when Erubiel Durazo scampered home following Eric Munson’s eighth-inning throwing error. Durazo took advantage of a miscue by Detroit first baseman Carlos Pena.

Hudson (5-1) scattered 10 hits over eight innings but still improved to a remarkable 85-34 record life-time, a win percentage of .714. Spud Chandler, who played for the New York Yankees between 1937-47, boasts the all-time record of .717 for pitchers with 50 or more wins. Chandler was 109-43 over his career.

In St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays snapped a five-game losing streak as they went up 7-0 early and hung on to defeat the Boston Red Sox 9-6.

In Arlington, Rod Barajas doubled to plate three runs before scoring on Hank Blalock’s homer to lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-3 triumph over the Kansas City Royals.

In Minneapolis, Frank Thomas belted a three-run homer and Paul Konerko had two solo shots, both players collecting four hits as the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 10-3.

In Seattle, Jamie Moyer (2-2) scattered seven hits over seven innings as the Mariners crushed the Baltimore Orioles 11-0. Ichiro Suzuki drove in three runs, collecting three hits to raise his average to .324.

In Anaheim, Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui homered to guide the New York Yankees to a 6-2 win over the Angels.

Mike Mussina (5-4) tossed 7 2/3 innings of seven-hit ball to earn the decision.