National League Roundup : Giants Win on 33rd HR by Mitchell

A two-run homer by Kevin Mitchell spoiled John Smoltz’s three-hitter as the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves, 2-0, in Atlanta Monday night to give Rick Reuschel his 13th victory.

Mitchell’s homer in the fourth inning, his 33rd, came against Smoltz (11-7), who struck out a career-high 10. The loss was Atlanta’s fifth in a row.

With his 33rd homer in his 94th game, Mitchell is one game ahead of Babe Ruth’s 60 home-run pace of 1927. Roger Maris, who hit 61 homers in 1961, hit No. 33 in the 82nd game of the season.

Reuschel (13-4) pitched five innings but left after suffering a groin pull that has hampered him recently. He escaped a bases-loaded, no-out threat in the fourth, retiring Darrell Evans on a flyball, Andres Thomas on a popup and Jeff Treadway on a flyout.

Reuschel gave up five hits and walked two with no strikeouts. Steve Bedrosian, the fourth San Francisco pitcher, got the last two outs for his 14th save.

Mitchell, who also increased his major league-leading RBI total to 87, hit an 0-and-2 pitch over the fence in left-center to also score Earnest Riles, who had hit a single.

The only other baserunner against Smoltz was Matt Williams, playing his first game since being recalled from Phoenix of the Pacific Coast League. Williams had a single in the second, but Smoltz struck out the side.

Montreal 4, Philadelphia 3--Two errors by the Phillies and a game-winning single in the 12th inning by Tim Wallach helped the Expos win at Montreal.

Andres Galarraga hit a one-out single off Greg Harris (1-2) and made it to second base when Tom Herr dropped the throw from center fielder Len Dykstra. Tim Raines was walked intentionally and Hubie Brooks reached on an error by Harris before Wallach singled to left to extend both Montreal’s winning streak and Philadelphia’s losing streak to four games.

Von Hayes had tied the score with his 15th homer, leading off the ninth against Tim Burke.

The Expos, who have hit 10 home runs in their last three games, got solo homers from Rex Hudler and Brooks off starter Dennis Cook. Hudler hit his sixth in the first inning and Brooks his eighth to give the Expos a 3-2 lead in the sixth.

Andy McGaffigan (3-4) pitched one inning for the victory.

Chicago 3, St. Louis 2--Winning pitcher Mike Bielecki had two key bunts, including a fifth-inning suicide squeeze that put Chicago ahead to stay, as the Cubs won at St. Louis.

The loss ended the Cardinals’ four-game winning streak and extended Chicago’s to three.

With an infield hit in the fourth, St. Louis’ Jose Oquendo extended the longest hitting streak in the majors this season to 22 games.

Bielecki (10-5) gave up four hits, struck out six and walked two in seven innings. He retired 11 in a row before being relieved.

Mitch Williams pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for his 24th save in 31 opportunities.