New Los Angeles Dodger Robin Ventura chugged around the bases for the first inside-the-park home-run of his major league baseball career, as the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 8-4 Sunday in Atlanta.
It was Ventura's first homer for the Los Angeles, which acquired him from the New York Yankees on Thursday. Adrian Beltre also hit a three-run homer as LA snapped its five-game losing streak.
Elsewhere in the National League, San Diego's Brian Buchanan hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning, as the Padres topped the Phillies 5-2. Despite the loss, Philadelphia still leads the national league wild-card race.
In Chicago, Sammy Sosa hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and Matt Clement pitched three-hit ball for eight innings, as the Chicago Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1. Other National League winners Sunday included the Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Montreal Expos, and San Francisco Giants.
In the American League, Miguel Tejada hit a two-run double off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning Sunday to give the Oakland Athletics a 2-1 win over New York. In Baltimore, David Ortiz hit two of Boston's six home runs, and the Red Sox halted a four-game losing streak by defeating the Orioles, 7-5.
Other American League winners were the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Texas Rangers.