NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Swift Is Making Giants’ Deal Look Good

Almost everybody knew that the San Francisco Giants were desperate to unload Kevin Mitchell. The slugging outfielder had outlived his welcome.

In some places it was said that the Giants were so eager to get rid of Mitchell they accepted a relief pitcher in payment.

Bill Swift is a reliever no more. He is the ace of the Giants’ staff, the major leagues’ first four-game winner.

The 6-2 victory at Houston Tuesday night was Swift’s worst start of the season. The former U.S. Olympian gave up eight hits and two runs, the first time more than one in a game, and lasted only seven innings. His two previous starts had been complete games, including a shutout over Atlanta.

Matt Williams made the job easier for Swift when he hit a three-run home run in the first inning against Ryan Bowen. The Giants chased Bowen with three more in the fifth.

Swift was the ace of the Mariners’ bullpen, getting 17 saves for a team not often ahead in the late innings. He posted a 1.99 ERA. But Manager Roger Craig needed a right-handed starting pitcher.

“It doesn’t take a genius to look at a guy who’s a good athlete and think this guy can start.”

Swift was conscious of the reaction in the Bay Area when three relatively unknown pitchers went to the Giants for Mitchell, who hit 47 home runs to lead the league in 1989 and had 119 over the last three seasons.

“I really wanted to come out and do well,” he said. “I know Kevin will do well for them, so it’s up to us to do the job here.

“I’m doing the same thing I did last year, but my sinker is working real good. I’ve added a split-finger. I throw it only 10 times per game, but it keeps people off-balance.”

Craig said Swift threw harder than he did in the other games.

“He throws hard,” Craig said. “A sinkerball pitcher who throws 90-91 m.p.h., when the ball sinks like his does, is something special.”

Pittsburgh 8, Montreal 7--With Andy Van Slyke and Barry Bonds providing the big offense at Montreal, the Pirates scored five times in the first inning and built an 8-3 lead.

It turned out to be barely enough. The Expos scored twice in the eighth and two more in the ninth on Ivan Calderon’s two-run home run. Roger Mason settled down in time to get the save.

The Pirates, who were doing rather well without a whole lot of hitting, scored nine runs in the ninth inning Monday night and picked up where they left off.

Van Slyke, who had a two-run triple in the first, drove in three runs. Bonds, who hit his seventh home run, drove in two.

New York 4, St. Louis 2--Dwight Gooden didn’t impress his catcher, Charlie O’Brien, but he pitched a strong seven innings at New York.

Gooden gave up five hits and two runs in his longest outing in three starts since rotator cuff surgery last September.

“This is the worst he’s thrown,” O’Brien said. “But it shows he’s coming back all the way because he can still pitch a good game without all his pitches working.”

Former Dodger Willie Randolph continued to make a big contribution to the Mets.

Randolph broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning. Gooden had a hit and scored a run in the fifth when the Mets wiped out a 2-0 deficit.

Philadelphia 7, Chicago 5--Mike Morgan, in his third start for the Cubs, pitched much better, but still does not have a victory.

Morgan, who signed as a free agent after having his best season (14-10) for the Dodgers, gave up six hits and two runs in seven innings and lowered his earned-run average to 6.23.

The Cubs led, 3-2, but wildness by relief pitchers cost them in the ninth at Chicago and, in the 10th Wally Backman singled in runs for the Phillies’ victory.

Mitch Williams who gave up the tying run in the ninth, gained the victory. Morgan, who signed for $12.5 million for four years, is 0-2.

San Diego 4, Atlanta 2--Fred McGriff hit his fifth home run to help the Padres end their five-game losing streak at San Diego.

The Padres scored three runs on 10 hits off Mike Bielecki before he was forced to leave in the fifth inning after being hit in the left knee by Tony Gwynn’s line drive.

The Padres also lost their starter, Dave Eiland, who had back spasms in the second inning.

Rich Rodriguez won it in relief. The Padres used four pitchers, and they ended Deion Sanders’ hitting streak at 14 games.