National League Roundup : Smith Supports Himself and Beats Astros, 13-2

Pitcher Bryn Smith of the Montreal Expos hasn’t been getting much offensive support, so he went out and helped himself.

Smith drove in four of Montreal’s season-high 13 runs Sunday as the Expos got 19 hits and beat the Houston Astros, 13-2, at Montreal.

“I figured they’d all say if this guy can do it, so can I,” Smith said.

Smith, whose previous high for a game was two RBIs, hit a three-run double in Montreal’s six-run second and a run-scoring single in the Expos’s four-run third.

“Actually, I messed that up,” Smith said of the double. “We had a squeeze play on. I wasn’t sure the squeeze play was on, he threw the pitch down the middle and I just hit it.”

Smith (8-3) yielded seven hits and two runs in seven innings, striking out three and walking one. Andy McGaffigan and Tim Burke finished up with hitless relief.

Jim Clancy (5-6) got just four outs and gave up six hits and six runs. In two appearances this year against Montreal, Clancy has given up 13 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings for a 43.88 earned-run average.

Tom Foley had four hits and drove in three runs and Dave Martinez, Mike Fitzgerald and Tim Wallach had three hits each. Wallach hit a two-run homer and Damaso Garcia hit a solo homerun.

San Francisco 4, Chicago 3--Kevin Mitchell’s two-out, two-run homer capped a three-run eighth-inning rally as the Giants defeated the Cubs at San Francisco.

Pinch-hitter Greg Litton opened the eighth with a single off Rick Sutcliffe (9-6). Litton was forced at second by Brett Butler, who advanced to third on a stolen base and catcher Damon Berryhill’s throwing error.

After Robby Thompson struck out, Will Clark singled to pull the Giants to within 3-2. Mitchell hit Sutcliffe’s next pitch over the right-field fence, improving his major league-leading totals to 26 homers and 74 RBIs.

Jeff Brantley (2-0) pitched three innings of one-hit relief and Steve Bedrosian pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save, striking out two of the three batters he faced. He has six saves since he was traded to the Giants by Philadelphia two weeks ago.

New York 7, Cincinnati 2--Howard Johnson hit his 22nd home run and doubled twice as the Mets beat the Reds at Cincinnati for only their second victory in the last six games.

Sid Fernandez (6-2) gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings to win his second straight start after five consecutive no-decisions. Don Aase finished with two-hit relief.

Reds starter Scott Scudder (2-2) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, yielding seven hits and five runs.

Johnson’s sacrifice fly gave the Mets the lead in the first, and an RBI single by Fernandez made it 2-0 in the second. Fernandez is seven for 31 this season.

New York broke the game open with three runs in the third. Kevin McReynolds hit a sacrifice fly, Gregg Jefferies had an RBI single and third baseman Luis Quinones’ fielding error allowed Mookie Wilson to score to give the Mets a 5-0 lead.

Cincinnati picher Tim Birtsas hit his first career home run in the bottom of the inning. The game was delayed 1 hour, 14 minutes by rain in the fourth.

Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 1--Lonnie Smith raised his batting average to .336 with three hits and John Smoltz pitched a five-hitter as the Braves beat the Phillies at Philadelphia.

Smoltz (10-6) pitched his fourth complete game of the season, his third against the Phillies. He struck out six and walked one. The run was unearned because of his own error.

Smith, 19 for 46 in his last 12 games, had an RBI double in the first and hit his 11th home run of the season in the eighth.

San Diego 5, St. Louis 2--Bruce Hurst pitched his fourth complete game and triggered a four-run third inning with only his second major-league hit as the Padres beat the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Marvell Wynne helped San Diego take advantage of first baseman Pedro Guerrero’s fielding error by hitting a three-run double off Jose DeLeon (8-8). The Padres won for the first time in six games at St. Louis this year.

Hurst (7-5) allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked one. It was the first time in eight starts that the Padres scored more than three runs for him.

Hurst, who was only one for 35 entering the game, singled to lead off the third. Guerrero then booted Bip Roberts’ grounder for an error and, one out later, Tony Gwynn walked to load the bases. Wynne doubled and scored on Garry Templeton’s double.