NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Browning Getting Early Start on a Big Season

Jack Armstrong and Jose Rijo were the two starting pitchers who grabbed the spotlight last season when the Cincinnati Reds won the National League pennant and swept the Oakland Athletics in the World Series.

This season, Tom Browning is steadily re-emerging as the Reds’ ace.

Browing gave up two runs and seven hits in 8 1/3 innings Friday night as the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2, at Philadelphia.

“This is probably the best I’ve thrown the ball in the early season,” said Browning, who improved his record to 9-4 with his fifth victory in his last six decisions. “I feel comfortable. I remember I was 9-9 my rookie year and finished up winning 20 games.”

Browning struck out four and walked two as the Reds won for the fifth time in six games.

Rob Dibble got the last two outs for his National League-leading 17th save.

“We’ve been hovering around .500 and it’s time to pull away from it,” said Cincinnati Manager Lou Piniella, whose team is 31-28. “We’re the only team in the division that hasn’t been on a hot streak.”

The Phillies lost more than the game.

Center fielder Von Hayes, filling in for the injured Lenny Dykstra, broke a bone in his right wrist when struck by a pitch and is probably out for the rest of the season.

The Reds broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth off Terry Mulholland (6-6), who is 0-5 against Cincinnati.

Bill Doran opened the eighth with a double and advanced to third on Hal Morris’ bunt single.

Barry Larkin then singled in Doran, chasing Mulholland. After a sacrifice by Chris Sabo, pinch-hitter Herm Winningham singled against Roger McDowell to drive in another run.

The Phillies had tied the score, 2-2, in the sixth on Dale Murphy’s ninth home run of the season and 387th of his career.

Chicago 7, San Diego 3--Left-hander Danny Jackson, making his second start since coming off of the 15-day disabled list June 9, won his first game as a Cub, scattering three hits over five shutout innings at San Diego.

Jackson (1-2) walked two and struck out two before Chuck McElroy replaced him in the sixth.

Jerome Walton hit his second home run, Andre Dawson drove in two runs and Ryne Sandberg drove in one run and scored three for the Cubs.

Andy Benes (4-7) gave up five runs and 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.

Darrin Jackson had a pinch-hit home run in the seventh for the Padres.

National League batting leader Tony Gwynn singled in the sixth, marking the 31st time he has hit safely in his last 33 games.

San Francisco 3, Pittsburgh 2--Willie McGee extended his hitting streak to 18 games and also homered with one out in the eighth inning to give the Giants the victory at San Francisco.

McGee, who kept his streak going with a third-inning single, drove a 2-and-0 pitch from Zane Smith (7-5) over the right-field fence for his fourth homer.

Smith gave up eight hits in eight innings.

Francisco Oliveras (2-2) worked the eighth, striking out two, for the victory.

Dave Righetti pitched the ninth inning for his seventh save.

The Pirates, leading the National League East with a 36-21 record, fell to 1-3 against the Giants, who are in last place in the West.

Montreal 2, Atlanta 1--The Expos prevented Tom Glavine from becoming baseball’s first 11-game winner despite managing only five hits off the left-hander in seven innings at Montreal.

Gilberto Reyes’ run-scoring pinch single off Glavine (10-3) in the seventh inning broke a 1-1 tie.

Mark Gardner (2-3) gave up four hits in seven innings to win in Montreal for the first time since Aug. 28. Tim Burke pitched two-thirds of an inning and Scott Ruskin finished for his fourth save.

The Expos went ahead in the seventh when Spike Owen doubled with two outs and Reyes, batting for Gardner, followed with a single.

The Braves took a 1-0 lead the first inning when Ron Gant hit his 12th home run.

Houston 4, New York 1--The Astros roughed up Met relief ace John Franco for the second time this week, scoring three runs in the ninth inning at New York.

Franco (1-6), who blew a lead Monday night in a loss at Houston, gave up all three runs in the ninth inning on four hits.

Mike Capel (1-1) pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Astros after replacing starter Pete Harnisch. Jim Clancy got the last three outs for his second save.

Rafael Ramirez, pinch-hitting for Capel, hit a one-out double in the ninth and Steve Finley followed with a single to break a 1-1 tie.

David Cone gave up the one run on seven hits, while striking out nine.