NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Martinez Leads, an Expo Victory Follows, 3-0

Dennis Martinez is the elder statesman of the Montreal Expos, providing leadership for a team composed mainly of young players.

He also contributes with his arm and his bat.

Martinez pitched a five-hitter, doubled and scored a run to lead the Expos to a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday night at Montreal.

In improving his record to 6-3, Martinez pitched his third complete game and his second shutout. Martinez, who turned 36 last week, lowered his earned-run average to 1.73.

Martinez had only one real problem. The Phillies had runners on second and third in the fourth when he struck out the dangerous Charlie Hayes to escape.

Martinez doubled to lead off the fifth inning in a 1-0 game. A walk and a single loaded the bases and Martinez scored on a double play.

“I had some great defense behind me tonight,” Martinez said. “My job is to get the ball in play, and let the guys behind me do the job. Fortunately, we have people who can do the job.”

The victory moved the Expos to the .500 mark and into fourth place in the National League East.

Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 3--Barry Bonds has been so ineffective with a bat this season that no pitcher has bothered to throw a pitch close to him.

That all changed after he hammered home runs his first two times at bat at Pittsburgh. He was hit by pitches the next two times up.

Bonds, the most valuable player last season, came into the game batting .182 with two home runs in 110 at-bats.

He has been even worse at Three Rivers Stadium, where he did not have an extra-base hit in 54 at-bats. In the second inning, Bonds tagged Jamie Moyer (0-5) for a home run. In the next inning, Bobby Bonilla hit a two-out single and Bonds hit another home run.

“It has been a little easier to take this slump because the team has been winning,” Bonds said. “But I’ve had a left-out feeling. What makes me feel good is finally doing something to help.”

John Smiley (6-1) gave up three unearned runs in the fifth inning, but made it through six innings to get the victory.

Atlanta 4, San Diego 1--The Braves remain the surprise team of the West. Ron Gant emerged from a deep slump to hit a three-run home run with one out in the ninth inning and give the Braves another dramatic victory at Atlanta.

The home run, his sixth, raised Gant’s average to .179.

With one out in the ninth, Steve Rosenberg walked Lonnie Smith and Mark Lemke. Gant hit a 2-and-2 pitch over the left-field fence.

Charlie Leibrandt gave up five hits in eight innings, but Kent Mercker pitched a scoreless ninth to win it.

Cincinnati 3, San Francisco 2--Things have gone from bad to worse for the Giants. Their one solid pitcher, Bud Black, who has won three games this month, couldn’t win at Cincinnati.

He fell victim to Eric Davis. When Davis came up with a man on in the fourth, he had only a single in his previous 20 at-bats. But he tagged a Black pitch for his fifth home run.

Tom Browing (5-3) lasted 6 2/3 innings, but the Reds needed Rob Dibble to save it. Although he gave up two hits and walked a batter in the ninth, he disposed of Terry Kennedy on a grounder to get the last out and his 11th save.

New York 8, Chicago 6--Joe Altobelli didn’t make it through his first game as interim manager of the Cubs at New York.

Altobelli, a temporary replacement for Don Zimmer, who was fired, was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing when umpire Steve Ripley warned pitcher Chuck McElroy for throwing an inside pitch to Dwight Gooden.

Although he didn’t pitch very well, Gooden improved his record against the Cubs to 23-3.

Gooden (5-3) gave up nine hits and six runs in 6 1/3 innings. The Mets routed Rick Sutcliffe (2-4), scoring eight runs in the first three innings.

The Cubs’ best player, Ryne Sandberg, sprained his ankle in the third inning. It is not known how long he will be out.