NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mitchell’s High Five Leads Reds’ 17-4 Rout

Dusty Baker likened it to Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine teams of the 1970s: 17 runs, 24 hits, balls hit all over the field.

Led by Kevin Mitchell, who had five hits and five runs batted in, the Cincinnati Reds pounded the San Francisco Giants, 17-4, at San Francisco to complete a three-game sweep with their sixth consecutive road victory.

“Mitch put on a hitting clinic,” said Baker, the Giants’ manager. “He was on today, and when he’s on, there’s none better.

“We threw him in, out, up and down. Fastballs in and away, breaking balls in and away, and he hit everything.”

Mitchell homered, doubled twice and added two singles, and every ball was hit hard. The fans at Candlestick Park showed they still had fond feelings for Mitchell, who spent four-plus seasons with the Giants, and loudly cheered each of his hits.

“That brought back a lot of memories,” he said.

By the fifth inning, Mitchell was already four for four. He came up again in the sixth with runners at second and third and the Reds leading, 12-2, and scorched a two-run single off the right-center wall.

After that, Red Manager Davey Johnson took him out of the game.

Mitchell wasn’t the only Red to have a big day. Bret Boone had four hits and scored five times, Brian Hunter had four RBIs, and John Roper (6-1) gave up two runs and two hits in six innings.

Three of the first four Cincinnati batters, including Mitchell, hit home runs.

Philadelphia 7, Pittsburgh 0--Danny Jackson pitched a six-hitter and Kevin Stocker drove in three runs for the Phillies at Philadelphia.

Jackson (14-5) struck out seven and did not walk a batter in becoming the first Phillie to pitch a shutout this season. It was Jackson’s 14th shutout but his first since June 12, 1993.

Ricky Jordan homered and drove in three runs for the Phillies and Stocker, who also homered in Tuesday’s game, hit his second homer of the year in the second inning against Steve Cooke (4-10).

New York 3, Atlanta 2--Jose Vizcaino’s two-out, bases-loaded single brought home the winning run in the ninth inning at New York as the Braves’ bullpen squandered another save opportunity.

It was the 13th blown save for Atlanta, the 10th for Greg McMichael (3-6) in 30 chances.

Jeff Kent walked to open the ninth and went to third on David Segui’s hit-and-run single. Rico Brogna then hit a single up the middle, tying the score, 2-2.

After Mark Wohlers relieved McMichael, Ryan Thompson sacrificed, Joe Orsulak walked and Todd Hundley struck out before Vizcaino, pinch-hitting for Kelly Stinnett, lined a single over the shortstop’s head to end the game.

Montreal 8, St. Louis 3--The victory at Montreal was the Expos’ sixth in a row and helped them open the largest divisional lead of the season in the National League East.

Lenny Webster, Sean Berry and Moises Alou had solo home runs, Larry Walker had three doubles--increasing his NL-leading total to 43--and Gil Heredia gave up only four hits in seven innings.

Montreal, which has won 14 of 15 games, has a 5 1/2-game lead over the Braves, a half-game larger than the Braves’ largest divisional lead on April 18.

Heredia (5-3), making his second start of the season, gave up only one hit after Mark Whiten hit a leadoff single in the second. He struck out six and walked one.

Houston 2, Colorado 1--Andujar Cedeno drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the ninth inning at Houston.

Luis Gonzalez singled against Bruce Ruffin (3-5) with one out. Another out and one walk later, Cedeno lined a single to left and Gonzalez scored as Mike Kingery’s throw to the plate was wide.

Colorado, which was a half-game out of first place a week ago, lost for the fifth time in six games.

Florida 9, Chicago 8--Benito Santiago’s sacrifice fly scored Jeff Conine with the go-ahead run in the ninth inning at Chicago.

Conine doubled to open the ninth and went to third on Greg Colbrunn’s single. Santiago then hit a medium-range fly ball, and left-fielder Derrick May did not make a throw home.

Kurt Abbott added a pinch-hit, RBI double later in the inning, giving the Marlins an insurance run they ended up needing.

Santiago went three for three with two doubles, and Conine and Gary Sheffield hit two-run homers for the Marlins, who won their second consecutive game after losing seven in a row.