NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Braves End Drought Against Astros, 3-2

The Atlanta Braves might be improved this season, but they still have struggled against the Houston Astros.

The Braves finally ended a 23-inning scoreless streak against the Astros Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory at Houston.

Terry Pendleton, who went four for four, scored the go-ahead run after leading off the eighth inning with a double down the right-field line off Jim Clancy (0-2). Jeff Treadway followed with a single to center that drove in Pendleton.

“I’ve always had a hard time seeing the ball here. I just don’t see the ball well inside,” Pendleton said. “I had trouble seeing the ball tonight. I was just fortunate to get some balls I could handle and hit them hard.”

Mike Stanton (3-1) gave up one hit in 1 1/3 scoreless innings after relieving John Smoltz in the seventh. Juan Berenguer finished with perfect relief for his career-high 11th save.

“If you play in a park like this, you’re not going to score many runs,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said. “This is one of the best pitchers’ parks in the history of baseball. When you come to this place it’s scratch and claw.”

The Braves ended their scoreless streak against the Astros in the sixth and took a 2-1 lead. Otis Nixon and Pendleton reached on bunt singles, Jimmy Jones threw a wild pitch and two runs scored when Ken Caminiti booted Lonnie Smith’s sharp grounder to third.

The Astros tied the score, 2-2, in the sixth when Casey Candaele walked and scored on Steve Finley’s double.

Cincinnati 6, San Diego 2--Scott Scudder hit his first major league homer and pitched six strong innings for the victory at Cincinnati.

Scudder (3-3) gave up four hits in 6 1/3 innings, including Fred McGriff’s two-run homer in the fourth. Randy Myers got his sixth save.

Dennis Rasmussen (3-2) allowed 10 hits and three walks in six innings.

Mariano Duncan hit his second home run for the Reds, giving the Reds five consecutive multiple-homer games.

New York 7, Montreal 4--Frank Viola (8-5) survived a shaky start and five hits by Marquis Grissom as the Mets won at New York.

Grissom, who had four singles and a double in five at-bats, also had five hits on June 7 at Atlanta. The five hits are a club record.

The Mets broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the fourth and Howard Johnson hit his league-leading 16th home run with one runner on in the seventh, giving the Mets a four-run lead.

Viola gave up three runs and 10 hits in seven innings. He is 7-1 against the Expos.

John Franco, who hadn’t pitched since June 14 because of a sore back, got the final out for his 14th save.

Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 6--Barry Bonds and Jose Lind homered during the Pirates’ five-run third inning at Pittsburgh and Bob Walk (6-0) won his eighth consecutive decision since Sept. 9.

Jay Bell went five for five and singled home a run in the seventh as the Pirates, breaking out of their worst offensive slump of the season, won for only the second time in seven games.

The Cubs lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

Walk gave up six hits in seven innings, including Ryne Sandberg’s two-run homer, Rick Wilkins’ homer and Mark Grace’s two-run triple.

Stan Belinda pitched the eighth. Bill Landrum finished for his 14th save in 14 chances.

The Pirates were behind, 3-1, before Bonds’ two-run, two-out homer in the third off Greg Maddux (6-6). Gary Varsho and Mike LaValliere singled and Lind made it 6-3 with his third homer.

St. Louis 14, Philadelphia 1--Phillie starter Pat Combs walked five of the six batters he faced at St. Louis and the Cardinals ended up tying their season-high for runs.

Combs (2-6) threw 27 pitches and 22 were balls. The Cardinals scored three runs and sent eight batters to the plate before getting an official at-bat.

Bryn Smith (6-4) won for only the second time in seven starts, giving up six hits and a run in 6 2/3 innings and also had two RBIs.