April 13, 2003	Sunday	Safar 10, 1424

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SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico), April 12: Brad Wilkerson hit a third-inning grand slam to power the Montreal Expos to a 10-0 thumping of the New York Mets in the National League on Friday.

It was the first of 22 home games the Expos will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico this season.

A total of 17,906 fans were in attendance. That is a larger crowd than the Expos had for all but eight home games in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium last year.

Brian Schneider and Jose Vidro each added two-run homers in the win. Tomo Ohka (1-1) pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out seven batters and walking four.

David Cone (1-1) allowed seven runs and eight hits in four innings.

In Chicago, Aramis Ramirez had two hits, including an RBI double, and scored the winning run to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Starter Jeff D’Amico (1-1) allowed two runs and six hits in five innings and Mike Williams worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the season.

Carlos Zambrano (1-1) gave up two runs on seven hits while striking out six batters and walking three in 6 1/3 innings.

In Cincinnati, Austin Kearns hit two home runs, including a two-run drive in the bottom of the ninth inning, to lift the Reds to a 7-6 triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Adam Dunn and Kelly Stinnett also homered in the win. Scott Williamson picked up his second victory of the season after striking out the final batter in the ninth inning.

Placido Polanco scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a solo homer after the Phillies rallied with four runs in the eighth. Jose Mesa (1-1) blew the save opportunity after allowing both runs in the ninth.

In Florida, pitcher Brad Penny hit his first career home run, a solo shot that proved to be the game-winner, as the Marlins defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-4.

Derrek Lee hit his 100th career home run and Juan Encarnacion doubled and tripled and drove in three runs for the Marlins.

Penny (1-1) struck out five batters while giving up four runs and seven hits in five innings. Braden Looper picked up his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer for the Braves in the fifth. Horacio Ramirez (1-2) allowed seven runs and eight hits in five innings.

In Houston, Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Astros a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the St Louis Cardinals.

Jeff Bagwell smacked his third homer of the season, a solo drive in the third inning, and Octavio Dotel (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

The Cardinals scored both runs in the first inning, including a solo homer by Jim Edmonds. Matt Morris suffered his first loss of the season after allowing three runs and six hits in a complete game effort for the Cardinals.

In San Francisco, Barry Bonds homered and Andreas Galarraga drove in the other two runs as the Giants edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2.

San Francisco is 10-1, the best start to a season in franchise history. It was Bonds’ 617th career homer.

Kirk Rueter (2-0) went 7 2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on seven hits, to pick up the win.

Odalis Perez (0-1) went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits for the loss.

Angelo Berroa singled home the only run of the game in the fifth inning to help the Kansas City Royals stretch their winning streak with a 1-0 blanking of the Cleveland Indians in the American League.

The Royals, expected to be at the bottom of the AL by most pre-season predictions, are the first team since Cincinnati in 1990 to start the season with an 8-0 record.

Runelvys Hernandez improved to 3-0 after pitching seven scoreless innings. He allowed seven hits while striking out four batters and walking two.

Rookie Mike MacDougal picked up his sixth save with a scoreless ninth inning. Jake Westbrook (0-2) took the loss after allowing one run and three hits in six innings.

In Detroit, Jose Valentin hit a two-run homer in the first inning to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 5-0 win over the Tigers.

Esteban Loaiza (2-0) pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out three batters. Reliever Billy Koch finished the game with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth.

D’Angelo Jimenez had three hits, including a solo home run in the second inning. Adam Bernero (0-2) gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings for the Tigers, who are winless in their first nine games.

In Toronto, Luis Rivas had three hits, including an RBI triple in the seventh inning, to steer the Minnesota Twins to a 6-4 victory over the Blue Jays.

Corey Koskie drove in three runs for the Twins, including two with a two-run double in the fourth inning. Kenny Rogers (1-0) allowed four runs and seven hits while striking out five batters in six innings.