NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Giants Don’t Give the Phillies a Break

The San Francisco Giants had 18 more hits as they routed the Phillies, 10-2, Sunday at Philadelphia. In winning three of four games in the series between the division leaders, the Giants had 41 runs and 68 hits.

“We did have a good series,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said.

It was suggested that the Giants probably didn’t want to stop for this week’s All-Star break.

“We want to stop, believe me,” Baker said. “We need a well-deserved rest. I’m very proud of our first half. We’re a little banged up, but hopefully we’ll have everybody back in a few weeks.”

Barry Bonds hit a two-run double and, for the series, drove in nine runs. Steve Scarsone, subbing for injured third baseman Matt Williams, was 10 for 20, including four hits and two RBIs Sunday. Royce Clayton and Dave Martinez each drove in two runs as the Giants won for the seventh time in nine games and the 24th in their last 32.

Bonds, however, was playing down the first half.

“I don’t say too much, man,” he said. “I wait for the second half. There is nothing important ‘til October.”

Philadelphia is 12-12 in its last 24 games and reached the All-Star break with a five-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League East.

“We just didn’t play well,” Phillie Manager Jim Fregosi said. “They beat up on us pretty good in three of the four games.”

Bryan Hickerson (3-1) gave up two runs and eight hits in six innings, striking out four and walking one.

Curt Schilling (8-6) lost his fifth consecutive start, giving up six runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Atlanta 6, Florida 3--David Justice hit his 20th home run and saved two runs with a diving catch to help the Braves at Miami.

Jeff Blauser also homered and Greg Maddux struck out nine for the Braves, who remain nine games behind the Giants at the All-Star break.

Maddux (8-8) gave up two earned runs on six hits in seven innings for his first victory in four decisions. Mike Stanton pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save of the season.

The Marlins have lost eight of nine.

Three singles and a throwing error by Maddux in the sixth created two Marlin runs and closed the margin to 5-3. Justice dived to grab Henry Cotto’s line drive with two outs and runners on second and third.

Pittsburgh 3, Cincinnati 2--Rob Dibble walked pinch-hitter Don Slaught with the bases loaded in the ninth inning at Pittsburgh, lifting the Pirates past the Reds.

Dave Clark and Jeff King singled against Jeff Reardon (2-2), Kevin Young struck out trying to bunt, and pinch-hitter Tom Foley reached on Reardon’s fielding error, loading the bases. Dibble relieved and walked Slaught on five pitches, giving the Pirates their fourth victory in six games.

Red starter Jose Rijo extended his winless streak to 10 starts since May 22. He is 0-4 in that span.

Colorado 4, St. Louis 1--Armando Reynoso gave up five hits in seven-plus innings at St. Louis as the Rockies kept the Cardinals from moving up on Philadelphia in the NL East.

St. Louis, which lost two of three to the expansion Rockies, could have moved four games behind the division-leading Phillies.

Colorado won for the seventh time in 10 games to move out of the NL West cellar. The Rockies have won eight times in Reynoso’s last 10 starts.

Houston 10, Chicago 1--Mark Portugal and two relievers combined on a three-hitter at Chicago, and Eric Anthony hit a three-run homer in a six-run sixth inning to lead the Astros.

Portugal (7-4) gave up one run and two hits, struck out four and walked five in seven-plus innings.

Errors by third baseman Eric Yelding and right fielder Candy Maldonado led to six unearned runs in the sixth. Greg Hibbard (7-6) gave up three hits in six innings, struck out two and walked three.

Montreal 5, San Diego 4--Marquis Grissom drove home the go-ahead run with an infield hit in the eighth inning at Montreal to give the Expos a four-game sweep.

With the score tied and two out in the eighth, Grissom hit a hard shot that glanced off pitcher Gene Harris’ glove to second baseman Jeff Gardner, who thought his throw to first beat Grissom. But umpire Brian Gorman said the throw pulled first baseman Archi Cianfrocco off the bag.

John Wetteland (4-0) got the victory, and Dennis Martinez got the final out for his first save since Oct. 1, 1980.