NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Phillies Get Forced Into Sweep and Seven-Game Lead in East

Philadelphia rookie Kevin Stocker could only laugh after he had been walked intentionally by the St. Louis Cardinals to load the bases.

Darren Daulton was up next.

“It was funny,” Stocker said. “Walk me to get to the second-best RBI man (behind Barry Bonds) in the league.”

Daulton drew an eighth-inning walk, forcing in the go-ahead run as the Phillies defeated the Cardinals, 6-4, Thursday to sweep the series and increase their lead over the Cardinals in the National League East to seven games.

Daulton had been given the day off from catching after hitting a triple and grand slam for a career-high six runs batted in during Tuesday night’s 14-6 victory.

The St. Louis strategy with one out was to load the bases, setting up a double play.

St. Louis reliever Rob Murphy (1-5) gave up a leadoff single to Pete Incaviglia and hit Wes Chamberlain to start the eighth. Todd Pratt’s sacrifice moved the runners to scoring position.

Murphy intentionally walked Stocker to load the bases, bringing up Daulton.

After the walk to Daulton, Lenny Dykstra’s RBI single made the score 6-4.

“Things just aren’t working out,” Murphy said. “It’s only the fourth time I’ve ever hit a batter and only the second time I ever walked a guy with the bases loaded.”

St. Louis had tied the score, 4-4, in the eighth when Roger Mason gave up singles to Bernard Gilkey and Ozzie Smith, and Todd Zeile and Brian Jordan followed with RBI singles off David West.

West (3-2) pitched two-thirds of an inning. Mitch Williams gave up two walks but retired the Cardinals in the ninth for his 28th save.

Houston 2, Atlanta 0--Pete Harnisch pitched a four-hitter for his second shutout and the Astros got a two-run single from Jeff Bagwell to defeat the Braves at Houston.

The loss ended Atlanta’s six-game winning streak and was only the second loss by the Braves in 10 games since Fred McGriff joined the team from San Diego. In the first nine, Atlanta scored 84 runs.

“Harnisch was tough,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said. “He didn’t give our guys a chance. It wasn’t our failure to hit, it was a case of an outstanding pitcher who had his stuff tonight.”

Harnisch (10-7) pitched his third complete game, striking out nine and walking two. He retired 17 of the last 19 batters he faced. Only four Braves advanced as far as second base.

Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 2--Delino DeShields scored the tying run, then singled home the game-winner with two out in the 11th inning at Pittsburgh.

Blas Minor (6-4) got the first two outs, then walked John Vander Wal and pinch-hitter Mike Lansing. DeShields, who has eight hits in his last 16 at-bats, lined a base hit to center to score Vander Wal as the Expos won for the fifth time in seven games.

John Wetteland (6-1) killed a threat in the 10th, striking out Lonnie Smith with the bases loaded.

Gil Heredia, back from the minor leagues, earned his first major league save by pitching the 11th. It was Pittsburgh’s fifth loss in six games.

Florida 2, New York 1--Charlie Hough pitched well for 7 1/3 innings and Henry Cotto singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh as the Marlins won at New York.

Hough (5-11), who had lost his last three decisions, struck out one and walked three. He gave up a run in the fourth, when Jeromy Burnitz hit a two-out solo homer--his fifth.

Hough was relieved by Matt Turner with one out in the eighth and two runners on base. Turner struck out Eddie Murray and Bobby Bonilla to end the threat, and Bryan Harvey pitched the ninth for his 30th save.