NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Braves Shut Out Giants

Terry Pendleton went to the plate in the top of the ninth inning without a hit in three at-bats Saturday. He was batting .174 this season with one run batted in.

After one swing, he felt much better.

Pendleton, batting with Deion Sanders on second base and one out in a scoreless game, homered off reliever Mike Jackson.

The home run gave the run-starved Atlanta Braves a 2-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants at San Francisco.

“It was a relief to do something for the team,” Pendleton said. “I should be leading the league in RBIs, and I’ve done nothing.”

Only one Brave starter, Jeff Blauser, was batting above .200 with the exception of pitcher Steve Avery (1-1), who opposed Trevor Wilson in a battle of left-handers. Avery, who gave up three hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked none. Mike Stanton got his fifth save. Atlanta, a winner for only the second time in six games, has scored only three runs in 40 innings.

Florida 9, Houston 4--Benito Santiago had a homer and a two-run double during a seven-run seventh inning, and Jack Armstrong pitched a strong game, leading the Marlins at Houston.

The inning not only was the most productive of the season for the expansion team, it surpassed its run total for any previous game. The Marlins had scored six runs on two occasions.

Armstrong (1-2) gave up three hits, struck out eight and walked two in eight innings. Brian Williams (1-1) was the loser.

Chicago 6, Philadelphia 3--Dwight Smith and Sammy Sosa each hit solo home runs to help power the Cubs past the Phillies at Chicago, sending Philadelphia to its second consecutive loss after winning eight of nine games to start the season.

It was the third victory in a row for the Cubs, who have handed the Phillies (8-3) all of their losses.

Smith, making his first start of the season, led off the first inning with his first homer off Curt Schilling (2-1) and Sosa led off the second with his second.

Jose Guzman (2-1) gave up three hits in six innings but also walked six before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning.

New York 4, Cincinnati 1--The Reds’ season-opening slump became their worst in 38 years as Frank Tanana pitched six strong innings in his National League debut to lead the Mets at Cincinnati.

The Reds, who have the highest payroll in the league, lost their fifth in a row and fell to 2-9, the league’s worst record. The Reds haven’t started this poorly since 1955, when they were 2-11.

Tanana (1-0) gave up only one run on six hits over six innings. The Mets scored twice in the sixth against John Smiley (0-2).

Colorado 9, Montreal 1--Andres Galarraga again pounded his former team, driving in three runs with a pair of doubles and to lead the Rockies at Montreal.

In five games against the Expos this season, Galarraga has 12 RBIs and is batting .545 (12 for 22). He leads the majors with 14 RBIs.

Galarraga had a two-run double in the first inning against Dennis Martinez (0-3) and a run-scoring double off the right-field fence in the third. Charlie Hayes homered and drove in three runs and Dante Bichette added a solo homer. Bruce Ruffin (1-1) gave up only an unearned run in 6 1/3 innings.

San Diego 2, St. Louis 1--Greg Harris pitched well after two dismal outings, and Fred McGriff’s fourth-inning home run proved decisive at San Diego.

Harris (1-2), who lasted only 4 1/3 innings in each of his previous starts, gave up six hits--including Mark Whiten’s second homer--in 7 1/3 innings. The victory was his third in a row over the Cardinals.

In that span, Harris, who struck out two and walked two, has limited St. Louis to two runs and 11 hits in 20 1/3 innings. Gene Harris, the third San Diego pitcher, worked the ninth for his second save.

McGriff hit his third home run to break a 1-1 tie in the fourth, and Tim Teufel had an RBI double in the first to help the Padres put together consecutive victories for the first time this year.

The loss ended a league-best string of seven victories for St. Louis starter Rheal Cormier (1-1), who had not lost since Aug. 14.