NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Pirates Continue Their Run With Healthy Walk

The Pittsburgh Pirates could have easily been distracted this season by the contract squabbles of Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla and the poor start of Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabeck.

Instead, the 1990 National League East champions are playing better than ever.

The Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-1, Friday night at Philadelphia for their seventh consecutive victory.

Right-hander Bob Walk (1-0), making his fourth start since coming off the disabled list after recovering from a groin injury, got his first victory since last season, giving up three hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings. His previous victory was over St. Louis Sept. 29. Stan Belinda, Neal Heaton and Bill Landrum finished the combined five-hitter as the Pirates beat the Phillies for the 10th consecutive time.

“I went out to pitch six innings,” Walk said, “but you can’t always do what you want to do. The first time I went four. The next time it will be like anybody else. The hitters will let me know how far I go.”

Jason Grimsley (1-7) lost his fourth consecutive start, giving up four runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings as his career record against Pittsburgh fell to 0-4. The Phillies have lost in Grimsley’s last six starts and in 10 of 11 games he started this season.

Atlanta 5, San Francisco 2--Ron Gant hit his fourth home run in five games and the Braves extended their winning streak to five games at San Francisco.

The Braves finished May with a 17-9 record, their best month since going 18-10 in May of 1986. They are six games over .500 for the first time since August of 1984.

Charlie Leibrandt (4-4) gave up six hits and one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings.

Bud Black (5-5) took the loss.

New York 10, St. Louis 5--Pinch-hitter Mackey Sasser hit a three-run homer against Juan Agosto at St. Louis to break an eighth-inning tie and send the Mets to their fourth consecutive victory.

The Mets’ Dwight Gooden gave up five runs, a career-high 11 hits and walked four in six innings. Wally Whitehurst (3-2) gave up one hit in the last three innings.

Chicago 7, Montreal 2--Mark Grace hit his third home run and Mike Bielecki pitched six strong innings at Montreal to help the Cubs end a three-game losing streak.

Bielecki (7-2) gave up two runs and six hits. Les Lancaster earned his first save.

Dennis Martinez (6-4) took the loss.

San Diego 5, Houston 4--Jose Melendez pitched a two-hitter over eight innings in his first major league start for the victory at San Diego.

Craig Lefferts pitched the ninth to earn his 11th save, despite giving up a two-run homer to Ken Caminiti.

Padre Scott Coolbaugh hit a home run and drove in three runs.