National League Roundup : Bonds Bounces Back, Pirates Win

Barry Bonds is finding out about the ups and downs in the big time.

Bonds, mired in his first slump and coming off the worst day of his short major league career, homered, stole two bases and scored a twice Monday night to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2, at Pittsburgh.

“I’m going to make mistakes,” Bonds said. “Some days, like Sunday, you’re going to play 100% and nothing is going to go right. Some days, like today, good things are going to happen.

“The last five or six games, nothing had gone right, but you just have to keep on fighting.”

Bonds, stuck in a 3-for-25 slump, hit his sixth homer on a 2-and-2 pitch to lead off the bottom of the first inning. He drew a leadoff walk in the third, stole second and third and scored on Joe Orsulak’s single to right field.

In a 6-4 loss Sunday to Montreal, Bonds went 1 for 4 to drop his average to .233, struck out twice and made two outfield mistakes that led to Expo runs.

R.J. Reynolds’ solo homer in the sixth inning broke a 2-2 tie and gave Bob Walk (3-4) the victory. Walk allowed five hits and two runs in 6 innings.

Larry McWilliams and Cecilio Guante blanked the Phillies over the final 2 innings, with Guante earning his fourth save.

Charlie Hudson (4-7) took the loss despite allowing just three hits in six innings.

New York 7, St. Louis 0--Kevin Mitchell homered and scored three runs, and left-hander Bob Ojeda blanked the Cardinals on seven hits at St. Louis.

Ojeda (9-2) struck out six and walked three in pitching his fourth complete game.

John Tudor (6-4) allowed 10 hits and four runs in just five innings.

New York won its fourth straight game and moved 19 games ahead of fourth-place St. Louis, last year’s NL East champion.

Vince Coleman of St. Louis had four stolen bases, giving him 49 for the season.

Atlanta 5, San Francisco 1--Rick Mahler pitched an eight-hitter for his sixth straight victory and singled home a pair of runs as the Braves registered their fifth victory in a row by turning back the Giants at Atlanta.

Mahler (10-5) lost his shutout when Joel Youngblood homered in the ninth.

Dale Murphy hit his 13th homer of the season and 250th of his career in the third inning off Mark Davis (2-4).

Atlanta shortstop Andres Thomas was taken off the field on a stretcher in the ninth inning after injuring his neck in a collision with second baseman Ken Oberkfell. Thomas suffered a strained neck and will be on a day-to-day basis.

San Diego 9, Houston 2--Tony Gwynn and Garry Templeton each homered in a four-run first inning as the Padres rolled past the Astros at Houston.

Dave Dravecky (7-7) allowed seven hits in seven innnings and drove in a pair of runs with a sixth inning single. Lance McCullers pitched the final two innings.

Bob Knepper (10-6) failed in his fourth attempt to become the league’s first 11-game winner.

Gwynn connected off Knepper for his seventh home run with the bases empty with one out in the first and Templeton hit a disputed three-run shot off the top of the wall in left-center.

Montreal 4, Chicago 3--Mitch Webster’s two-out single in the 11th inning pushed the Expos past the Cubs at Chicago.

The Expos’ rally started with two out when Lee Smith (4-6) walked opposing pitcher Dan Schatzeder (3-1) on four pitches. Tim Raines singled Schatzeder to third and Webster brought him in.