NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Dykstra Snaps Slump, Homer Beats Reds, 5-4

Lenny Dykstra hit a 3-2 pitch for a tiebreaking solo home run in the seventh inning Monday night, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia for their third consecutive victory.

Dykstra, batting .174 when he came to the plate with one out in the seventh, hit his second homer of the season off reliever Steve Foster (0-2) to snap a 4-4 tie and boost the Phillies to a 6-1 record.

“I’m not frustrated at all,” Dykstra said. “I feel good. I’m spraying the ball around. I’m getting walks, stealing bases and scoring runs.”

Chicago 5, Atlanta 1--Greg Hibbard gave up one run in 8 2/3 innings for his first National League victory at Atlanta, as the Braves allowed more than two runs for only the second time in eight games. Hibbard (1-0) gave up seven hits walked three and struck out none.

Sammy Sosa hit a homer and drove in two runs and Candy Maldonado added two RBIs for the Cubs. Sosa ended an 0-for-10 slump with his first homer off Steve Avery (0-1) and drove in another run with a groundout.

Before Avery took the mound for his second start, Atlanta starters had allowed four earned runs in 55 innings. Avery gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings.

Pittsburgh 4, San Diego 2--Pittsburgh left-hander Dave Otto, added to the roster on Sunday, got his first NL victory, his first major league hit and his first run batted in, and rookie Kevin Young got his first triple as the Pirates spoiled the Padres’ 25th home opener. It was Pittsburgh’s third win over San Diego in three meetings this season.

Otto’s two-out single to center field drove in Don Slaught, who slid under Dan Walters’ tag to cap a three-run fourth inning.

Jay Bell hit a home run leading off the fifth to help chase Greg Harris (0-2), who also lost to the Pirates on Thursday, 5-4.