NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cubs Finish Off Pirates, End Losing Streak, 5-1

After nine consecutive defeats, seven by two runs or fewer, the Chicago Cubs remembered how to apply the final touch.

Les Lancaster won as a starter for the first time this season and Rich Wilkins hit his first major league home run as the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-1, Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

“Having that day off (Monday) gave us a chance to sit back and reflect on what had happened to us,” Wilkins said. “We kept losing heartbreaking games, a lot of one-run losses, and it was tough. We came back here a lot more relaxed after a day off.”

The streak was the Cubs’ longest since a club record 13-game skid in 1985.

Pittsburgh, leading the East, has lost three consecutive games and five of six.

The Cubs were limited to three hits in the first eight innings, but still had a 2-1 lead when Wilkins hit a three-run homer in the ninth.

Lancaster (3-2), who was 0-1 with a no-decision in two previous starts this season, limited the Pirates to a run and six hits in seven-plus innings.

Barry Bonds’ run-scoring single gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead in the first, but George Bell hit his 16th homer to tie the score in the second, and the Cubs took the lead with an unearned run in the third.

St. Louis 10, Philadelphia 9--Ozzie Smith, who drove in four runs, hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth and the Cardinals outlasted the Phillies at St. Louis.

The Cardinals, who ended a three-game losing streak, trailed, 5-0, after two innings before taking a 6-5 lead in the fifth.

The Phillies regained a 9-7 lead before the Cardinals rallied against Roger McDowell (3-5) in the eighth.

The victory pulled St. Louis to within four games of first-place Pittsburgh in the East.

John Kruk had a three-run homer and drove in five runs for the Phillies, taking the NL lead in RBIs with 53.

New York 8, Montreal 5--Kevin McReynolds hit a grand slam with two out in the ninth inning to lift the Mets to a victory over the Expos at New York.

The Mets, who scored four times in the first inning against Dennis Martinez, did nothing more until the ninth, when Garry Templeton singled against Barry Jones (3-5) and Daryl Boston and Dave Magadan walked to load the bases for McReynolds.

Alejandro Pena (4-0) shut out Montreal in the ninth.

The projected pitching duel between Martinez and Dwight Gooden never materialized. Montreal scored five times in the fifth on six hits to take a 5-4 lead.

Magadan hit a solo homer, Hubie Brooks had a two-run single and Mackey Sasser singled home the fourth run for the Mets.

Delino DeShields and Ivan Calderon hit run-scoring singles in the Montreal fifth against Gooden, who threw a wild pitch that made the score 4-3. Dave Martinez hit a run-scoring double to tie the score and Ron Hassey singled in Martinez.

Houston 1, Atlanta 0--Pete Harnisch pitched a six-hitter and scored as the Astros beat the Braves at Atlanta.

Harnisch (5-5) struck out six in pitching his third complete game. He has all three by the Houston staff has this season.

Tom Glavine (11-4) lost for the second time in 11 decisions and remained winless in his last eight starts against the Astros. Glavine gave up six hits in seven innings.

Harnisch singled to start the Houston third. Singles by Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell loaded the bases and Ken Caminiti’s fielder’s choice grounder scored Harnisch.

Cincinnati 8, San Diego 2--Jeff Reed hit a grand slam in a six-run first inning as the Reds beat the Padres at Cincinnati.

The Reds batted around against Andy Benes (4-8) in the first. Benes walked Chris Sabo with the bases loaded to force in the first run, Reed followed with his second homer of the season and Herm Winningham added a solo homer to give Cincinnati its biggest inning of the season.

Chris Hammond (5-5) won his second decision in a row after five consecutive losses. He gave up four singles in 6 1/3 innings.