NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Giants Regain Their Winning Ways and Complete Sweep of Reds

The San Francisco Giants appear to be swinging back into the form that made them National League champions last season.

The Giants became the first team to win a series against the Cincinnati Reds when Kevin Mitchell hit a home run off Rob Dibble with two out in the 11th inning Wednesday at San Francisco to give the Giants a 3-2 victory.

The Giants extended their winning streak to six games by sweeping the Reds, whose 33-15 record is the best in the majors.

“I thought I’d see a fastball and I hit it pretty good,” said Mitchell, who has 15 homers. “I was lucky to get a hold of it.”

Will Clark’s 10th homer, a solo shot in the ninth off Randy Myers, tied the score, 2-2. Mitchell’s homer off Dibble (3-1) marked the first time in 29 games that the Reds lost when leading after eight innings.

Paul O’Neill hit his seventh homer for the Reds, who have an 11-game lead over the fourth-place Giants in the West.

Reliever Jeff Brantley (2-1) earned the victory, retiring Ron Oester on a grounder with runners on first and second to end the Reds’ 11th.

San Diego 3, Houston 2--Garry Templeton capped a three-run ninth inning with a two-out single at San Diego as the Padres handed the Astros’ their sixth consecutive loss.

Joe Carter hit his ninth homer, a two-run shot off Mark Portugal (1-6). Glenn Davis supplied all of the Astros’ runs with his 17th homer, his seventh in six games.

New York 4, Montreal 3--Frank Viola yielded seven hits in seven innings at New York to become the first National League pitcher to win nine games.

Viola (9-2) struck out six and walked two. John Franco pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

Howard Johnson hit his ninth homer for the Mets.

St. Louis 12, Philadelphia 11--Willie McGee’s two-run double capped a three-run rally in the 10th inning at St. Louis as reliever Frank DiPino (3-0) earned his 14th consecutive victory since June 9, 1988.

The Phillies’ Len Dykstra had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 19 games and finished the night at a major league-leading .415.

Pittsburgh 6, Chicago 1--Andy Van Slyke’s three-run homer keyed a five-run first inning for the Pirates, who completed a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh in a game called in the middle of the seventh after a rain delay.

Doug Drabek (8-2) pitched a five-hitter as the Pirates beat the Cubs for the seventh consecutive time.

Greg Maddux (4-6) suffered his fifth consecutive loss.

Andre Dawson hit his 14th homer for the Cubs.