NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Bonds Makes Pirates That Much Better

The Pittsburgh Pirates were doing fine when Barry Bonds wasn’t hitting. Now they’re even better with his bat coming to life.

Bonds, who drove in three runs Sunday at Philadelphia to lead the Pirates to a 5-3 victory over the Phillies for their ninth win in a row, is batting .439 in his past 11 games with 18 hits in 41 at-bats. His season average is now up to .252.

Bonds hit a two-run homer in the sixth against starter Tommy Greene and also added an RBI on a ninth-inning double.

Greene, who was unscored upon with five hits in his three previous starts, including a no-hitter over Montreal, had a three-hit shutout going into the sixth.

Andy Van Slyke walked to lead off the inning, and one out later Bonds hit his homer, the first given up by Greene this season and it ended his scoreless inning streak at 29.

Van Slyke singled with one out in the ninth against loser Mitch Williams (0-3). After Bobby Bonilla struck out, Bonds doubled to left and then scored on Mitch Webster’s single.

Bob Walk (2-0), who won his first game of the season Friday night pitching 5 2/3 innings as a starter, worked two-thirds of an inning to gain his second victory. Bob Patterson pitched the ninth for his first save of the season.

San Francisco 2, Atlanta 1--Willie McGee’s sacrifice fly with one out in the eighth inning lifted the Giants over the Braves, giving them a split of their four-game series at San Francisco.

Mike Felder started the winning rally with a one-out walk from Kent Mercker (2-3). Felder stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when McGee lined a 3-and-2 pitch to right.

McGee had two of the Giants’ three hits against starter Pete Smith, who carried a 1-0 lead into the seventh while seeking his first victory since June 5, 1990.

The Giants pulled into a 1-1 tie against Smith in the seventh on Matt Williams’ one-out walk and a bloop double by Dave Anderson that eluded diving center fielder Ron Gant.

Left-hander Trevor Wilson (2-4) yielded six hits in eight innings and Dave Righetti pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season and first since April 16.

St. Louis 3, New York 1--Cardinal pitcher Bob Tewksbury, bouncing back from a sore shoulder, held the Mets to only four hits going into the ninth inning at St. Louis.

Lee Smith got the save, but not before Daryl Boston narrowly missed hitting a game-tying homer.

Milt Thompson hit a two-run triple in the fourth to key the Cardinals’ offense.

The fifth hit against Tewksbury (4-2) was Dave Magadan’s double to lead off the ninth and that became the Mets’ only run as Gregg Jefferies followed with a single off Smith, who earned his 13th save.

St. Louis batted around in the fourth inning against Ron Darling (2-3), scoring three times with two out.

Chicago 4, Montreal 3--Cedric Landrum’s two-out single in the ninth at Montreal rallied the Cubs, extending the Expos’ losing streak to five games.

Montreal has lost 10 of 11 and has yet to beat Chicago in six games this season.

The Cubs were trailing, 3-2, when Doug Dascenzo started the final-inning comeback with a double to center. Luis Salazar was then intentionally walked by Scott Ruskin (1-1). After pinch-hitter Greg Maddux struck out, Mark Grace walked to load the bases before Landrum lined Ruskin’s first pitch up the middle for the winning hit.

Paul Assenmacher (3-2) worked two innings for the victory while Dave Smith pitched the ninth to earn his 13th save.

San Diego 3, Houston 1--Adam Peterson combined with two relievers on a two-hitter as the Padres completed a four-game sweep of the Astros at San Diego

It was the first four-game sweep by the Padres since June 20-23, 1985, against the San Francisco Giants. It also matches their longest winning streak of the season, first accomplished April 12-15.

Peterson (2-1) gave up a lead-off homer to Steve Finley in the first inning, then held the Astros to one hit in the next six innings.

Benito Santiago hit a solo homer in the second, his sixth of the year, and also doubled in helping the Padres hand the Astros their seventh consecutive loss in San Diego.

Houston starter Xavier Hernandez (0-6) gave up three runs on four hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked six.