National League Roundup : Rodgers Gets His 500th Victory as Expos Beat Mets in 14 Innings, 3-2

Montreal Manager Buck Rodgers’ 500th victory of his career didn’t come easily. He had to wait until Tim Wallach singled home Nelson Santovenia with one out in the 14th inning for the Expos to beat the New York Mets, 3-2, Tuesday night at New York.

It was the Expos’ fifth consecutive victory.

“It had pitching, hitting, defense and clutch plays--everything you could want in a game,” Rodgers said. “You could have charged $150 a ticket tonight and no one would have gone home feeling cheated.”

With one out in the 14th inning, Santovenia doubled off Rick Aguilera (3-3) and moved to third when Otis Nixon beat out an infield hit. Wallach then lined a 1-and-2 pitch into center field.

Montreal relief ace Tim Burke carried a 2-1 lead into the ninth, but Howard Johnson led off with his 20th homer of the season.

“We made too many stupid mistakes to win a close game like this,” Met Manager Davey Johnson said. “You have to keep your head when you’re in this kind of battle.”

Houston 7, San Francisco 5--Craig Biggio hit a three-run homer off Steve Bedrosian to cap a four-run eighth inning to power the Astros at Houston.

With the Astros trailing, 5-3, in the eighth, Ken Caminiti doubled with two out and scored on Rafael Ramirez’s single. After Bedrosian (2-4) intentionally walked Bill Doran, Biggio hit his fifth home run of the season. Danny Darwin (7-2) pitched the last two innings for Houston and struck out five. It was the Astros’ first win over the Giants this season in five meetings.

Pittsburgh 5, Chicago 4--Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla hit consecutive run-scoring triples during a four-run first inning at Wrigley Field as the Pirates handed the Cubs their fifth consecutive loss.

The first four batters in the game hit safely against Rick Sutcliffe (9-5), who walked one, struck out six and gave up eight hits in seven innings.

Bobby Bonds led off the game with a single and scored on Jose Lind’s hit-and-run double. Van Slyke followed with a triple to right, Bonilla tripled to left and Glenn Wilson’s grounder drove in Bonilla with the final run of the inning.

In the last five games, the Cubs have been outscored, 22-6, and outhit, 45-27. “We’re just struggling as a ballclub. Obviously, we’re having trouble scoring runs,” said Sutcliffe, who had won five of his last six starts.

Pittsburgh starter Randy Kramer (2-4) gave up five hits in six innings to gain the win.

Philadelphia 4, St. Louis 2--Dennis Cook, who began the season in the minor leagues, allowed four hits in eight-plus innings and drove in a run to lead the Phillies at St. Louis.

Cook is 2-0 since being acquired from San Francisco on June 18 in the trade for reliever Steve Bedrosian. He struck out five and walked two in seven innings to beat Cardinal starter Jose DeLeon (8-7) for the second consecutive time. Roger McDowell got the last three outs for his sixth save.

Tommy Herr, Steve Jeltz and Darren Daulton each drove in a run for the Phillies. Cincinnati 9, Atlanta 3--Todd Benzinger hit a grand slam and rookie Scott Scudder yielded no runs and two hits in 6 1/3 innings, leading the Reds at Cincinnati.

The Reds have won three consecutive games. The Braves have lost five in a row.

Barry Larkin, who was three for four, extended his hitting streak to six games and raised his league-leading batting average to .365.

Scudder (2-1) had relief help from four pitchers. He struck out three and walked three and also had his first major league hit, a single in the fourth. John Smoltz (9-6) took the loss.