NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Pirates Beat Braves in a Sloppy 16, 4-3

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves may be the best teams in the National League, but they performed like sandlot teams Wednesday night at Pittsburgh.

The Pirates finally scored a 4-3 victory in the 16th inning of a game both teams had numerous chances to win.

Don Slaught’s triple and Jose Lind’s fly-ball single over a drawn-in outfield won it in the 16th.

The Pirates tied the score in the ninth when Cecil Espy had a two-out single after an error by shortstop Rafael Belliard and tied it again in the 13th when right fielder David Justice and second baseman Mark Lemke let Jay Bell’s two-out pop fly drop untouched.

The Pirates threatened in almost every inning, leaving 21 runners on base.

Catcher Slaught’s wild throw to third enabled Otis Nixon to score the tiebreaking run in the 13th, but the Pirates tied it in the bottom of the inning when the ball fell between Justice and Lemke. The Pirates’ Orlando Merced was on first, but he didn’t run hard or he might have scored the winning run.

Chicago 8, Houston 4--When the wind is blowing in at Wrigley Field, the ball is not supposed to go out.

But Ryne Sandberg ignored the 15-m.p.h. wind in and hit two home runs to lead the Cubs to victory over the Astros.

Sandberg, off to a slow start this season, doubled his home run output, hitting each with a man on base, and the Cubs handed the Astros their sixth loss in seven road games this season.

“It was just a matter of catching the pitch,” Sandberg said. “I hit them both good, the first one about as hard as I can hit a ball.”

Sandberg’s home runs and another by Luis Salazar helped Greg Maddux, despite an ordinary outing, improve his record to 4-2.

Sandberg homered in the first off Pete Harnisch to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. In the seventh, he tagged Xavier Hernandez for the final two runs of the game.

Salazar’s home run, his first of the season, was also a two-run smash and it broke a 4-4 tie in the sixth.

“I can’t get the ball down,” Harnisch said. “Every time they hit the ball good, it was out of the park.”

Maddux gave up four runs and seven hits before being relieved with one out in the eighth. Paul Assenmacher retired the last five Astros.

The Cubs, rapidly running out of shortstops, played third baseman Salazar there in this game. The regular at the spot, Shawon Dunston, will have back surgery next week and will be out until at least September. Rey Sanchez, his replacement, has chicken pox. Jose Vizcaino, who has a sprained right thumb, was taken off the disabled list and could be ready by the weekend.

Cincinnati 5, New York 3--The Reds had a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning at Cincinnati when the Mets’ strategy backfired and cost them.

With a man on second and two out, Manager Jeff Torborg elected to walk Paul O’Neill and have Anthony Young (2-1) pitch to Chris Sabo.

Sabo responded with a three-run home run and the Mets lost for only the sixth time in the last 20 games.

“He’s hit two three-run homers in the last three games. That’s what we need from him,” Manager Lou Piniella said. “They walk O’Neill and he delivers.”

Sabo’s homer enabled Greg Swindell to improve his record to 3-1. Swindell gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings, but only one was earned.

Norm Charlton held the Mets scoreless and struck out three in the last 2 1/3 innings for his eighth save.

Montreal 4, San Diego 3--Andy Benes, who appeared to be invincible in his first two starts, failed to win for his fourth consecutive start.

John VanderWal drove in two runs at Montreal with a single and double and the Padres’ ace lost his third game in a row. He lasted six innings, giving up eight hits and all four runs.

Ken Hill (3-2) walked and scored a run in the third when the Expos took the lead for good.

Former Dodger John Wetteland pitched two shutout innings to get his fourth save.

St. Louis 5, San Francisco 4--Felix Jose hit a two-out home run in the 11th inning at St. Louis to give the Cardinals the victory.

Willie McGee doubled home the tying run in the ninth inning for the Giants to prevent Lee Smith from getting his 10th save.