NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : After Coming Up Empty, Mets Full of Themselves, 4-3

When the New York Mets added Bobby Bonilla and Eddie Murray during the off-season, they felt certain they had added the needed offensive punch.

But with stretches like the one last week, in which they scored only two runs while losing four games, and with a team batting average of .230, they weren’t so sure.

Things are improving. Bonilla came out of a season-long slump with a grand slam and six runs batted in Monday night.

Murray hit the 16th grand slam of his career Tuesday night at New York and the Mets held off the San Francisco Giants, 4-3.

Murray, who was with the Dodgers last season, is doing his best hitting this season with the bases full. He faced Trevor Wilson in that situation in the third inning of a scoreless game. Murray hit the first pitch over the wall at the 403-foot mark in left field. That tied him with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Dave Kingman for fifth place on the all-time grand slam list.

Murray is five for six with 14 RBIs with the bases loaded this season, and is 76 for 180 (.422) lifetime with 234 RBIs.

“They finally recognized the grand slam sign,” Manager Jeff Torborg joked. “Earl Weaver was wrong. It’s not the three-run homer that wins games.”

The grand slams saved the home stand that began with the four losses.

“We just need to load the bases more often,” Murray said.

Anthony Young couldn’t take advantage of the four-run lead and was gone in the fourth inning. Wally Whitehurst got the victory in relief, and John Franco came along to get the last four outs for his ninth save.

The second loss in a row to the Mets dropped the Giants a game behind the Cincinnati Reds in the West. The Mets, despite their hitting problems, are half a game out of first in the East.

Cincinnati 2, St. Louis 1--Another former Dodger, Tim Belcher, pitched the Reds into sole possession of the West lead.

Belcher (5-5) pitched a strong eight innings at Cincinnati and the Reds, getting two unearned runs, beat hard-luck Jose DeLeon (2-5) for their seventh victory in eight games.

Belcher has won four of his last five decisions. Rod Dibble pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

DeLeon, who has a history of losing close games, gave up six hits in six innings. One run scored on catcher Tom Pagnozzi’s passed ball and another after an error by right fielder Felix Jose.

The Cardinals had two runners thrown out stealing and two others picked off base.

Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3--Terry Pendleton hit a two-run homer against Mitch Williams with one out in the ninth inning at Atlanta to give the Braves their fifth victory in a row.

Pendleton hit his 10th home run after Otis Nixon singled and stole second base.

The Phillies, who won nine of 14 previous road games, tied the score in the ninth when John Kruk scored on a wild pitch by Mike Stanton (1-2).

Houston 6, Montreal 0--Mark Portugal is almost invincible in the Astrodome. The Astros’ best pitcher held the Expos to six hits and extended his home winning streak to four games.

Portugal (5-2) pitched the Astros’ second complete game this season.

Jeff Bagwell and Eric Anthony singled home runs in the first inning.

Chicago 3, San Diego 2--Mark Grace literally knocked the pitcher out of the game at Chicago and finally he knocked the Padres out.

With the Padres leading, 2-0, Grace’s line drive with one out in the seventh hit rookie Frank Seminara on the right elbow. It was just a bruise, but the right-hander recently up from Las Vegas had to leave despite giving up only two hits in his debut.

In the 13th inning, after the Cubs tied the score on Andre Dawson’s two-run homer in the ninth, Grace singled home Ryne Sandberg with two out.