NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Expos Rally to Beat Phillies, Trim Deficit in East to 4 Games

The Montreal Expos stayed alive in the National League East race Friday night with an 8-7 victory over the first-place Philadelphia Phillies as Delino DeShields hit a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning at Montreal.

The Expos moved within four games of the Phillies with the victory. It’s the Phillies’ smallest lead since holding a four-game advantage over St. Louis on July 26.

The Phillies took a 7-3 lead with seven runs in the sixth inning, but the Expos battled back to send it into extra innings.

“I don’t think you take wind out of anybody’s sails in this kind of series,” Phillie Manager Jim Fregosi said. “We had plenty of opportunities to get a lot more runs and just didn’t get the job done. “Certainly we would have liked to win the first game, but we didn’t, so we have to go out and play tomorrow.”

Montreal is 21-3 since trailing Philadelphia by 14 1/2 games on Aug. 20, while the Phillies are 11-14 in that span.

“I’ve seen many, many games like that,” Expo Manager Felipe Alou said. “There was no real turning point except maybe the tenacity of our young players. They never quit when we were behind by 14 games, and they never quit when they scored seven runs. They came right back.”

Montreal has won its last 11 home games.

Marquis Grissom, who drove in the tying run in the seventh, doubled against Mitch Williams (3-5) and stole third before DeShields’ sacrifice fly.

San Francisco 13, Cincinnati 0--The Giants got 17 hits, including Matt Williams’ homer, as they ended an eight-game losing streak at Cincinnati and remained four games behind the Braves in the NL West.

Away from home, where they had lost all eight, the Giants once again looked like the team that led the division for 123 consecutive days until the Braves overtook them.

“That was a tough home stand,” Williams said of the 1-8 skid at Candlestick Park that was the worst in team history. “Getting away from home, there was a different atmosphere. One win doesn’t mean we’re going to catch the Braves, but it’s a good sign.”

Bill Swift (18-8) beat the Reds for the fourth time this season and Williams hit his career-high 35th homer.

Houston 3, San Diego 0--Pete Harnisch pitched his second one-hitter of the season to extend his winning streak to five games at Houston.

Harnisch (15-8) pitched 5 1/3 hitless innings until Jarvis Brown’s bunt single. Harnisch fielded the ball in front of home plate, but Chris Donnels failed to field the throw on a close play at first base.

Harnisch, who pitched a one-hitter against Chicago on July 10, struck out seven and walked one. He leads the National League with four shutouts.

Florida 2, Chicago 0--Jack Armstrong gave up three hits in 7 1/3 innings at Chicago as the Marlins ended a four-game losing streak.

Armstrong (8-15) ended a personal six-game losing streak and earned his first victory since July 17. Bryan Harvey got the last five outs for his 44th save.

Pittsburgh 2, St. Louis 1--Pinch-hitter Rich Aude broke a seventh-inning tie with his first major league hit at St. Louis as the Pirates extended their winning streak to five games.

Aude’s single scored Kevin Young who doubled with one out.