NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Gwynn, Padres Still Streaking

Tony Gwynn extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a triple and tiebreaking single Sunday to lead the streaking San Diego Padres to a 5-3 victory over the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

Gwynn has hit Pirate pitching hard, going six for 12 in the series. He tripled with one out in the fourth off Zane Smith (7-4) and later scored on Fred McGriff’s groundout. Gwynn is hitting .439 (25 for 57) during his hitting streak, the longest in the National League this season. He tops the majors at .373.

The Padres have won eight of their past 10 games, including two in a row over the Pirates. The Padres’ two victories matched their season total of a year ago, when the Pirates won 10 of 12 from San Diego.

“That (Pittsburgh) staff isn’t an easy one to bang around, but maybe we’re still frustrated by getting 13 hits and no runs (Friday),” Gwynn said. “They’ve got a great defense, particularly that outfield, but we hit them where they weren’t.”

Andy Benes (4-6) gave up six hits and three runs in 8 2/3 innings and has given up only three runs in 16 2/3 innings in his past two starts. The Padre staff has a 1.64 earned-run average in the past 10 games.

Cincinnati 6, Philadelphia 3--Glenn Braggs hit a pair of sacrifice flies and Barry Larkin homered and singled as the Reds rallied from a two-run deficit to beat the Phillies at Cincinnati.

It was a familiar experience for losing pitcher Terry Mulholland (6-5), who has never beaten Cincinnati in 10 attempts.

Although the Phillies scored twice in the first inning, the Reds came right back behind the hitting of Chris Sabo, who had an RBI single, a double and a triple off Mulholland.

Tom Browning (8-4) gave up two runs on four hits in the first inning, then checked the Phillies on two hits over the next five to get his fourth victory in his past five starts.

Houston 1, New York 0--Pete Harnisch pitched a three-hitter and struck out a career-high 11 in shutting out the Mets at Houston.

It was the first shutout for Harnisch, who was acquired by the Astros from Baltimore in the Glenn Davis trade. The only run he needed came on Ken Caminiti’s RBI double in the sixth off David Cone (6-4).

Gregg Jefferies singled in the first and Dave Magadan doubled in the fourth and went to third on a groundout.

Harnisch has been hampered by poor run support this season. He pitched a two-hitter at Pittsburgh May 3 and lost, 1-0. In his most recent start, he gave up three hits over eight innings and struck out seven but lost to Montreal, 4-1.

Atlanta 8, Montreal 6--David Justice hit two two-run homers to help Tom Glavine become the major league’s first 10-game winner with his eighth victory in a row in the Braves’ win over the Expos at Atlanta.

The Angels’ Chuck Finley won his 10th game later in the day.

Justice broke a 3-3 tie in the fifth inning with his second two-run shot off Mark Gardner (1-3). Justice’s 10th homer of the year came after Tommy Gregg had walked.

Justice’s other two-run homer came in the first inning after Gregg, appearing for the first time since going on the disabled list April 28 with a broken left hand, singled with two out.

San Francisco 3, St. Louis 2--Kevin Bass’ two-run single broke an eighth-inning tie at St. Louis as the Giants won for the sixth time in their past eight games.

Greg Litton homered for San Francisco and John Burkett (4-3) gave up three hits and one run in eight innings. Jeff Brantley relieved Dave Righetti with one out and two on in the ninth and finished for his fifth save.

One of the Cardinal hits was Gerald Perry’s homer in the seventh inning, the first for St. Louis in in 19 games.