NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Pirates Rally, Regain East Lead

Bobby Bonilla broke the game open with a three-run home run, and Carmelo Martinez hit a two-run home run as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 11-7, Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

The victory moves the Pirates into first place in the National League East, half a game ahead of the New York Mets, who lost Tuesday night to St. Louis. The Pirates and Mets begin a three-game series in Pittsburgh tonight with a twi-night doubleheader.

Barry Bonds also drove in two runs as the Pirates rallied from 5-0 and 7-3 deficits to win their third game in a row.

With the Pirates trailing, 7-3, in the fifth inning, Jeff King singled and Andy Van Slyke walked. Bonilla--who drove in five runs--hit a single to score King.

After Don Carman replaced starter Pat Combs, Bonds hit a sacrifice fly. Martinez, traded by the Phillies last week for three minor leaguers, followed with his first home run as a Pirate to make the score 7-7.

Darrel Akerfelds (5-2) replaced Carman in the sixth and immediately got in a jam when pinch-hitter Wally Backman doubled and eventually scored the go-ahead run on a grounder by Van Slyke.

Bonilla hit his 31st home run in the sixth inning against Akerfelds. It was a drive off the second level in right field and gave him 99 runs batted in, one short of his career high. Bonilla’s 31 home runs are the most by a Pirate since Jason Thompson hit 31 in 1982. Bonds also has 99 RBIs.

Bill Landrum (5-3) worked two scoreless relief innings for the victory.

Atlanta 7, Cincinnati 4--Dave Justice and Tom Glavine are enjoying the role of the Braves’ spoilers--but they would prefer to be contenders.

“That’s the only role left for us,” said Justice, who hit two home runs to help the last-place Braves beat the Reds at Atlanta.

The Braves trailed, 4-2, when Lonnie Smith singled with one out in the fourth inning. Ron Gant and Justice hit consecutive home runs off starter Danny Jackson (5-3), and Justice added a solo shot in the eighth inning off reliever Randy Myers. Justice leads all major league rookies with 22 homers and 61 RBIs.

The Reds roughed up Tom Glavine (7-11) in the third inning, combining four hits and three walks to take a 4-1 lead. Mariano Duncan hit an RBI single to score the first run, Barry Larkin doubled to score two more runs and Todd Benzinger singled in the fourth run.

But that was it for the Reds. Glavine--who gave up six hits in eight innings--retired the next 15 batters and Kent Mercker pitched the ninth inning for his sixth save. The Reds threatened in the ninth inning, loading the bases with one out on a single and two walks, but Mercker struck out Duncan and retired Larkin on a pop foul.

St. Louis 1, New York 0--Joe Magrane, with help from two relievers, beat the Mets for the third time in less than six weeks as the Cardinals ended the Mets’ seven-game winning streak and knocked them out of first place in the NL East.

Magrane (9-15), Omar Olivares and Lee Smith combined on a five-hitter, and Terry Pendleton’s hit-and-run double in the fourth inning scored Ozzie Smith from first base.

San Francisco 6, San Diego 4--Pinch-hitter Bill Bathe hit a two-run homer off former teammate Atlee Hammaker in the seventh inning for the Giants at San Diego.

Hammaker, 4-7 overall and 0-2 for the Padres, was making his first appearance against the Giants since they released him Aug. 11. He started the seventh in relief of Andy Benes and gave up a leadoff triple to rookie Mike Benjamin before Bathe hit his third home run of the season.

Chicago 3, Montreal 1--Ryne Sandberg hit his 32nd home run--a two-run shot in the ninth inning off Dennis Martinez--for the Cubs at Montreal.

Martinez (10-10) had a one-hit shutout until Dwight Smith’s home run in the eighth inning.