NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Braves, Reds Split Difference in Doubleheader

The Dodgers probably wouldn’t have wanted it any different at Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

The Reds and the Atlanta Braves split a doubleheader. The Reds, behind another fine performance by Jose Rijo (9-4), won the opener, 8-2.

But John Smoltz (9-13) pitched a five-hitter and Ron Gant doubled in two runs to enable the Braves to break out of a hitting slump and win the nightcap, 5-1.

Although the second-place Braves are six games ahead of the Reds, a sweep would have given the defending champions momentum. Now the Reds trail the Dodgers by 8 1/2 games and the Braves are 2 1/2 games behind.

When Joe Oliver drove in five runs to back Rijo in the opener, the Reds had won four in a row. Rijo went 7 2/3 innings and has given up only two earned runs in his last 21 2/3 innings.

With that performance, the Braves, the best hitting team in the National League, had only 10 runs in their last six games. Even the presence of slugging David Justice, in his first game since June 27, didn’t help. Justice, who sat out 47 games, went hitless against Rijo but was one for four in the nightcap and scored a run.

All the Braves’ luck in the opener was bad. Steve Avery (13-7) had to leave the game in the middle of the four-run fifth when a blister developed on his pitching hand.

The Reds were rolling and they were telling everyone they were back in the pennant race and ready to challenge the Dodgers.

Smoltz, who has been the Braves’ most dependable pitcher in recent weeks, took away much of the joy. He made certain there was no sweep.

Smoltz is 7-2 since the All-Star break. He struck out eight and retired the last 10 in order.

“I’m confident,” he said. “You win a couple of games and you can start to pitch like you want to. I was bound and determined to pitch good because I knew what I could do. I’m on top of my game, and it’s at the right time.”

Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 5--The Pirates are used to pulling out victories with late rallies. It appeared they done so again when Barry Bonds, who earlier hit his 21st home run, blooped a single to drive in the tie-breaking run in the top of the ninth at Philadelphia.

But this is a different Phillie team than the one everyone was pushing around earlier. They battle all the way.

They won this one in dramatic fashion. There were two out and a runner on base when Dickie Thon tagged Stan Belinda for a winning home run. It was the shortstop’s seventh home run and ended the Pirates’ four-game winning streak.

San Francisco 9, Houston 3--Will Clark, who barely missed a home run earlier, hit a grand slam in the seventh inning at Houston to break open a tight game.

Houston starter Jim Deshaies held the Giants without a hit for 5 1/3 innings before the Giant sluggers found the range. Willie McGee’s double ended Deshaies’ hitless string.

McGee scored on an error. Later in the inning, Clark hit a drive that struck a foot below the home run line on the right-field foul pole for a double.

With the score 3-3, Dave Anderson singled and Jimmy Jones walked Kevin Bass and McGee, bringing Rob Mallicoat out of the bullpen.

Clark hit the rookie’s second pitch for a home run, and Kevin Mitchell also homered; each has 24 home runs.

Montreal 4, Chicago 2--Rookie Chris Haney gave up six hits in six innings at Montreal to give the Expos their third victory in 11 games against the Cubs this season.