NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Browning Victim of an Early KO

Joe Carter hit Tom Browning hard Thursday night, and finally came away with something to show for it.

Carter hit a two-run double in the first inning and a three-run homer in the second off the left-hander, as the San Diego Padres took a 7-1 lead and held on for an 8-5 victory over the Reds in Cincinnati.

It was the Reds’ ninth loss in 11 games and the Padres’ eighth victory in 11 games.

The Padres scored seven runs on seven hits to knock Browning (10-6) out of the game after the second inning.

Carter was 0 for 5 lifetime against Browning, but figured a few of his outs should have been hits.

“I’ve hit the ball well against him, but had nothing to show for it until tonight,” Carter said. “He basically pitched me the same way tonight, but he put two fastballs in a good position to hit--up.”

The Reds hit Dennis Rasmussen (8-9) hard in the first four innings, scoring five runs on seven hits. But the big early cushion was too much to overcome.

Rasmussen went 6 1/3 innings to snap his five-game losing streak and get his first victory since June 26.

New York 5, Montreal 1--Darryl Strawberry had a two-run homer and an RBI single and Frank Viola became the first National League pitcher to win 15 games as the Mets won in Montreal.

The victory keeps the first-place Mets half a game ahead of Pittsburgh in the NL East.

Strawberry, who was 0 for 18, snapped a 1-1 tie with a run-scoring single off Dennis Martinez (7-8) in the sixth inning, then hit his 26th homer, tops in the NL, in a three-run eighth.

Viola (15-5) gave up six hits, struck out seven and walked one.

Pittsburgh 8, Chicago 5--Bobby Bonilla hit two home runs and Andy Van Slyke and Barry Bonds hit two-run homers to give Pittsburgh the victory in Chicago.

Van Slyke hit his 11th homer in the first inning after Jay Bell singled, and Bonilla followed with his 22nd homer. It was the third time this year the Pirates hit successive homers and each time it was by Van Slyke and Bonilla.

Bonilla hit his second homer of the game in the seventh. It was the third time this season Bonilla hit two homers in a game and the seventh time in his career.

John Smiley (5-5) was the winner. Steve Wilson (3-7) took the loss after working only one inning.

St. Louis 4, Philadelphia 3--At Philadelphia, Vince Coleman’s three-run double in the sixth inning helped the Cardinals win in Joe Torre’s first game as manager.

Bob Tewksbury (6-3) gave up two runs and eight hits in five innings and Lee Smith pitched two innings for his 18th save in 20 opportunities.

Cardinal center fielder Willie McGee went 0 for three with two walks, ending his 22-game hitting streak.

Phillie starter Jose DeJesus (2-3) gave up one hit in the first five innings, but singles by Todd Zeile, Milt Thompson and Jose Oquendo loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, setting up Coleman’s double to center.

Houston 3, Atlanta 1--Pinch-hitters Carl Nichols and Casey Candaele each hit run-scoring singles in the seventh inning to lead the Astros to victory at home.

Houston’s Bill Gullickson (7-8), gave up one run and five hits in seven innings.