NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Bonds, Bonilla Take Out Anger on Mets

Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla keep talking about how unhappy they are with Pittsburgh management. Both talk of becoming free agents and rumors persist they will be traded.

While they are around, Bonds and Bonilla continue to make the Pirates the most feared team in the National League.

Bonilla has been doing his job all season. Bonds came out of a slump Sunday at New York and led the Pirates to a 7-3 victory over the Mets that stretched Pittsburgh’s lead in the East to two games.

Bonds stole home and drove in three runs with two singles to help John Smiley improve his record to 4-0.

Although he didn’t pitch as well as he did April 17, when he had a one-hitter against the Mets, Smiley improved his record against them to 9-3. He worked five innings, giving up six hits and three runs. Bill Landrum and Neal Heaton stopped the Mets the rest of the way.

Last season Smiley was 9-10 and had an earned-run average of 4.94.

“I worked hard all winter,” he said. “It’s paying off.”

The Pirates wasted no time jumping on Ron Darling (2-1). Bonds singled in two runs and stole home on the front end of a double steal with Jeff King in the four-run first.

The Mets’ Kevin Elster collided with the left knee of teammate Kevin McReynolds while chasing King’s hit and cut an eye. Keith Miller replaced Elster at shortstop and made a throwing error on Bonilla’s run-scoring double in the second inning, and the Pirates ran their lead to 7-0. Three of the seven runs off Darling in 1 2/3 innings were unearned.

Bonds is not speaking to the media, so Manager Jim Leyland spoke about him.

“Bonds is a pure hitter and a great swinger,” he said. “He’ll hit. I have no doubts about that. If I have to worry about him, then I have real problems.”

Philadelphia 9, San Diego 2--The Phillies turned the first triple play in the 20-year history of Veterans Stadium and routed the Padres early.

Charlie Hayes hit a three-run home run in a five-run first inning that helped Jason Grimsley get the victory after three defeats.

Grimsley, who walked six and made two wild pitches, opened the game by walking the first two Padres. Hot-hitting Tony Gwynn lined to second baseman Randy Ready on the hit-and-run and it was an easy triple play. Ready stepped on second and threw to Ricky Jordan at first to complete the play.

Eric Nolte, who had won three in a row, retired only four batters, giving up seven hits and eight runs.

Cincinnati 4, Chicago 3--Paul O’Neill hit his third home run in three games and rookie Chris Hammond won his third game in a row. The Reds moved to within one-half game of San Diego, leader in the West.

The Cubs concluded a long trip that produced a 3-8 record.

Rick Sutcliffe (1-2) gave up seven hits in six innings, but only two of the four Cincinnati runs were earned.

Montreal 9, St. Louis 6--Marquis Grissom, who was four for 27 going into the game at St. Louis, hit a grand slam to end the Expos’ seven-game losing streak.

Grissom’s home run with the bases loaded broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning after the Expos had wasted a 5-0 lead.

In addition to his first home run of the season, Grissom had two singles and a double.

Until they scored three runs in the second inning, the Expos had scored only two runs in 36 innings.

Houston 2, Atlanta 0--Casey Candaele hit a two-run double in the seventh inning at Houston to give the Astros only their third victory in the past nine games.

Jimmy Jones (2-1) and two relievers gave up five hits in seven innings. Al Osuna and Dwayne Henry held the Braves hitless.

Tom Glavine had a scoreless string of 15 2/3 innings when Candaele came through with the big hit. Carl Nichols had an infield hit and Mark McLemore singled with two out to set the stage.