NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Boskie’s First Homer Opens Reds’ Eyes, 8-3

Before the Cincinnati Reds lost their eighth game last season, they had won 23 games and taken a commanding lead in the West.

It doesn’t appear the Reds are going to romp through the division this season.

Shawn Boskie hit his first major league home run Saturday at Cincinnati and pitched the Chicago Cubs to an 8-3 victory over the Reds, their eighth loss in 17 games.

Andre Dawson continued his hot hitting for the Cubs, hitting his fifth home run and driving in three runs.

Boskie, who needed help after giving up 10 hits in 7 2/3 innings, hit a two-run home run off Norm Charlton (1-2) in the second to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead. Before departing with nobody out in the seventh, Charlton walked three, gave up six hits, made three wild pitches and threw to the wrong base on Boskie’s sacrifice bunt that led to two more runs and a 5-2 Cub lead.

Boskie, who was an infielder at Modesto College, didn’t see his home run until it was clearing the wall in left.

“I guess I closed my eyes,” he said. “That’s pretty awesome. I take pride in my hitting. I’ve always wanted to hit one. Now that I did it, I can relax and go for No. 2.”

Pittsburgh 10, New York 1--The Pirates had never beaten David Cone in seven tries and the Mets’ right-hander was off to a fast start. It seemed to be a mismatch at New York.

It was a mismatch, all right, but not the way it figured.

Bobby Bonilla had three hits, scored a run and drove in four and Randy Tomlin and Bob Patterson held the Mets to four hits.

Cone gave up nine hits and five runs in five innings.

Bonilla, who raised his average to .333, is 13 for 31 (.419) in eight road games. He credits Pirate batting coach Milt May for getting him to relax.

“This was a nice afternoon,” Bonilla said. “Every once in a while I sneak in a game like this. Yes, Milt may be responsible for the way I’m hitting. I knew I wasn’t as patient as I should be. I revert to old habits sometimes and he straightens me out.”

Philadelphia 4, San Diego 3--The Phillies’ Danny Cox made his first major league appearance in three seasons and gave up only one run in seven innings.

He didn’t figure in the decision at Philadelphia.

After Paul Faries singled in a run in the top of the 10th to put the Padres ahead, the Phillies rallied to win in the bottom of the inning. John Kruk singled in the tying run and Rod Booker singled in the winner.

Cox, who had a ligament transplant in his right elbow in 1989, hadn’t pitched since he was with St. Louis in 1988.

Cox, 31, was 3-0 at Clearwater in the Class-A Florida State League before the Phillies brought him up Thursday.

The only run off Cox was Andy Benes’ home run.

“I really feel good,” Cox said. “I made only one mistake.”

The Phillies tied the score in the bottom of the ninth when Wally Backman’s two-out single drove in a run.

St. Louis 2, Montreal 1--The Expos finally scored a run at St. Louis, but their losing streak reached seven.

With a run in the third inning, the Expos (5-13) have scored one run in the past 35 innings.

Four Cardinal pitchers held the Expos to six hits, with Ken Hill (2-1) winning it and Lee Smith getting his seventh save.

Atlanta 2, Houston 1--Francisco Cabrera’s 13th-inning single at Houston drove in Tom Glavine with the winning run.

Six Brave pitchers held the Astros to seven hits, with Doug Sisk (2-0) the winner. Jeff Parrett gave up a leadoff single to Craig Biggio in the 13th before getting the last three outs for his first save.

Jim Corsi (0-2) walked pinch-hitter Glavine, a pitcher, leading off the top of the 13th, and he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Terry Pendleton. Cabrera then lined a single to center, scoring Glavine.

Houston, which left the bases loaded in ninth and 10th innings, has scored nine runs in its past eight games, going 2-6.