NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Braves Sweep Pirates, Cut Dodger Lead to 4 1/2

Now that Tom Glavine is back on track, the Atlanta Braves are ready to take up the chase against the Dodgers in the NL West again.

And if Rick Mahler can continue to contribute as a starting pitcher, it will be an added bonus for the Braves.

“Glavine’s in the running for the Cy Young Award. I expect him to do well,” said Bobby Cox, the Atlanta manger. “And Mahler didn’t shock me. He threw a good ballgame. He’s best suited as a starter.”

Glavine struggled but became the National League’s first 14-game winner in the opening game of a doubleheader Monday as Atlanta beat Pittsburgh, 7-5. Mahler pitched six strong innings in the second game at Atlanta for a 5-3 victory.

The victories reduced the Dodgers’ lead over the Braves to 4 1/2 games.

Mahler (2-4), who had made 10 relief appearances with the Braves after he was released by Montreal in June, gave up two runs and four hits. Kent Mercker, the fourth Atlanta pitcher, got the last three outs for his fifth save, allowing a run in the ninth inning.

Pittsburgh lost its third game in a row.

The Braves got the go-ahead run in the fifth inning on Brian Hunter’s run-scoring single, breaking a 2-2 tie against John Smiley (12-7).

In the first game, Greg Olson hit his fifth homer of the season, a solo shot off Doug Drabek (10-10) in the fourth inning, and drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth, breaking a 4-4 tie.

Glavine (14-5) gave up three solo home runs. Gary Redus hit one in the first inning and Lloyd McClendon hit homers in the second and the eighth.

San Francisco 6, Montreal 5--Mike Felder walked with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and broke a tie at San Francisco to help the Giants win their ninth game in a row.

The Giants, who have won 12 of 15 games, trailed, 5-2, going into the bottom of the fifth inning when they cut the deficit to 5-4.

It was tied, 5-5, when San Francisco loaded the bases in the eighth inning on singles by Robby Thompson and Terry Kennedy and a walk to Will Clark before Felder forced in the winning run. Mel Rojas (0-2) was the loser.

Winner Kelly Downs (7-4) pitched the eighth inning and started the ninth but was replaced when he gave up a leadoff single to Mike Fitzgerald. Dave Righetti finished for his 16th save.

In the Giants’ fifth, Darren Lewis’ double scored Felder, and Kevin Bass’ sacrifice fly brought home Lewis to chase starter Brian Barnes. The Giants tied the score in the sixth on Felder’s RBI single.

Larry Walker gave Montreal a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer over the center-field fence in the second inning.

In the fourth, the Expos loaded the bases with two out on a single and two infield errors, and Walker delivered an infield single for a 4-2 lead.

Marquis Grissom reached on an error by shortstop Jose Uribe in the top of the fifth and scored on a single by Ivan Calderon.

Houston 6, St. Louis 2--Ken Caminiti hit a grand slam and Jim Deshaies pitched a complete game at Houston to lead the Astros.

Deshaies (4-8) gave up two runs, nine hits and struck out two and walked none for his first complete game of the season.

Caminiti’s grand slam, the first of his career, came on a 1-and-1 pitch from Bryn Smith (9-7) in the fourth inning and gave Houston a 4-1 lead. It was the first grand slam by an Astro at home since Aug. 20, 1989, when Kevin Bass hit one.