National League Roundup : Distefano’s Two-Out Pinch-Hit in 12th Inning Lifts Pirates

The Montreal Expos’ lead over the Chicago Cubs in the National League East was cut to two games Thursday night as the Pirates won, 1-0, at Pittsburgh when pinch-hitter Benny Distefano hit a run-scoring single with two out in the 12th inning.

The victory ended a six-game losing streak and enabled the Pirates to avert a four-game Montreal sweep.

Andy McGaffigan, the Expos’ fourth pitcher, retired the first two batters in the 12th before Rafael Belliard singled to left. Belliard stole second, and Distefano, batting .280 as a pinch-hitter, lined a shot into right-center field.

Doug Bair pitched two scoreless innings as the Expos stranded 12 runners--including eight in the final five innings--as they lost to Pittsburgh for only the third time in 10 games. The Expos had runners at first and third with two outs in the final two innings, but Bair struck out Mike Fitzgerald in the 11th and Andres Galarraga in the 12th.

Expo starter Dennis Martinez (12-1) was denied his 12th consecutive victory despite shutting out the Pirates on five hits through seven innings.

Martinez, whose 11-game winning streak is the league’s longest since Dwight Gooden’s 14-game streak in 1985, left for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

Chicago 2, Philadelphia 0--Greg Maddux, Mitch Williams and Les Lancaster combined on a six-hitter at Philadelphia.

Williams relieved Maddux with one out and runners on first and third in the seventh inning. He struck out Len Dykstra and got Tom Herr to fly out.

Lancaster pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for his third save, securing Maddux’s fifth victory in his last six starts. It was the 11th time the Phillies have been shut out.

San Diego 6, Atlanta 5--Tony Gwynn had two run-scoring singles as the Padres beat slumping John Smoltz at Atlanta.

Gwynn’s single broke a 4-4 tie in the fourth, scoring Bip Roberts, who had doubled and advanced to third on an infield grounder.

Gwynn’s first-inning single also scored Roberts, who had walked and advanced to third on Roberto Alomar’s single. Gwynn was 3 for 5 and increased his average to .337, second in the league.

Smoltz (11-9) lost his third consecutive decision. He gave up six runs and 11 hits in seven innings, and walked four.

St. Louis 6, New York 5--Tom Pagnozzi, a .167 hitter making his first start at catcher since July 16, hit a sixth-inning RBI single off reliever Jeff Musselman to help the Cardinals win at St. Louis.

Pagnozzi had replaced Tony Pena, given a day off after 16 consecutive starts.

Milt Thompson had four RBIs, including a three-run home run, as the Cardinals spoiled the National League debut of Musselman, acquired from Toronto Monday in a trade for Mookie Wilson.

Kevin Elster hit a three-run home run, his fifth of the season, for the Mets, capping a four-run second that put New York ahead, 4-1. Dave Magadan added a sacrifice fly in the inning and Keith Miller had a run-scoring single in the sixth to make the score 5-5 after the Cardinals had gone ahead.