Going . . . going . . . Gonzalez

Luis Gonzalez homered in his first three at-bats and drove in four runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks pounded the New York Mets, 12-8, last night in Phoenix to snap a four-game losing streak.

Gonzalez had two chances for a fourth homer, but struck out looking in the fifth and grounded to second in the eighth, leaving him with his second career three-homer game.

Chad Tracy and Steve Finley also homered as Arizona tied its club record with five homers in a game. Tracy, moved to the leadoff spot for the first time this season, also tripled and drove in three runs.

Gonzalez also hit three homers at Kansas City June 8, 2001. With his 20th career multihomer game, Gonzalez increased his home run total to 10 this season.

His first two came off starter James Baldwin, a two-run shot in the first and leadoff blast in the third. His third, to the opposite field, came against Dan Wheeler to start the fourth inning. Finley also homered in the fourth, his 10th of the season.

Baldwin (0-1), just called up from Triple A Norfolk, didn't last long in his first start since Aug. 11, 2002. He allowed six runs on seven hits in two-plus innings.

Arizona starter Casey Daigle (2-1) staggered through five innings and got the victory despite being tagged for seven runs, six earned, on 12 hits. He left with a 12-7 lead.

The Mets' Ty Wigginton went 5 for 5, setting a career high for hits. Eric Valent had his first career three-hit game, and Mike Piazza was 3 for 4 with two RBIs.

Blue Jays 9 Royals 3 -- Orlando Hudson, Toronto's switch-hitting second baseman, had never homered from the right side -- but he did it twice in the victory over host Kansas City. Hudson went 3 for 5 and drove in a career-high four runs. Reed Johnson went 3 for 5 with a homer for Toronto, which won its sixth straight and extended its winning streak at Kauffman Stadium to eight games.

Pat Hentgen (2-2) went 6 1/3 innings with a season-high five strikeouts for the victory.

The Royals (9-21) are off to their worst start after 30 games since the 1992 team went 8-22.

Kansas City lefthander Brian Anderson gave up eight runs and lost his fourth straight start.

Juan Gonzalez hit a solo homer off Hentgen in the seventh for Kansas City, giving him 1,400 career RBIs.

Hentgen gave up two runs on four hits with two walks and went longer than five innings for only the third time in seven starts.