NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Justice Helps Braves Keep Padres Sliding

Ten days ago, the San Diego Padres were challenging for first place in the National League West and the Atlanta Braves were struggling to stay out of the cellar.

Now, the Braves are surging and they have the Padres reeling.

John Smoltz pitched a six-hitter Saturday night at Atlanta to beat the Padres, 4-2, and move the Braves into a virtual three-way tie for second place in the West with the Padres and the San Francisco Giants.

It was the fifth time in eight days the Braves have beaten the Padres, and Smoltz has gone the route twice.

David Justice’s two-run double was the big hit in a four-run third inning that led the Braves to their 12th victory in 14 games.

Smoltz (7-5) weathered a rough sixth inning when the Padres scored twice and had the bases loaded with one out. It was his fourth complete game.

Last season, when he finished strong to win 14 games plus two more in the championship series, Smoltz was 2-11 at the All-Star break. He did not win his seventh until Aug. 5.

“I think I’m learning something,” Smoltz said. “When they loaded the bases with nobody out, I wasn’t expecting to stop them from scoring. I just wanted to hold them to a run or two. I don’t think I have to be perfect.”

The Padres were half a game behind Cincinnati before the Braves swept them at San Diego last week, Smoltz beating them, 9-4, last Sunday. The Braves, going into the series at San Diego, were one game ahead of last-place Houston. Now both are 3 1/2 games behind Cincinnati.

Justice had two hits and is batting .372 in the last 13 games.

Pittsburgh 3, New York 2--The Mets are becoming the Pirates’ favorite opponent.

Barry Bonds hit his 15th home run to tie the score in the eighth inning at New York and a few moments later pinch-hitter Orlando Merced broke the tie with a double. Bonds broke an 0-for-17 slump with the home run.

Since June 4, the Mets have played the Pirates six times and lost five of them. In those six games, the Mets have outscored the Pirates, 25-22. The one Met victory was 15-1.

The Pirates are six games ahead of the slumping Mets, who are only 1 1/2 games out of last place in the East.

Jeff Robinson, in his first appearance since being claimed from Texas on waivers, pitched 1 2/3 innings for the victory.

St. Louis 4, Philadelphia 1--Omar Olivares came off the disabled list just in time to give the slumping Cardinals a lift.

Olivares, out since May 26 with a groin injury, gave up five hits in 6 2/3 innings at St. Louis to improve his record to 3-3.

Lee Smith put down a rally with two on and nobody out in the eighth and went on to pick up his 16th save. The Cardinals had lost nine of their previous 11 games and Smith had blown saves in two of them.

Pedro Guerrero hit a two-run single off Curt Schilling (5-4) in the first inning to end a scoreless streak of 20 innings. And Ray Lankford hit a two-run home run, a 412-foot blast. Ozzie Smith had two singles for the other Cardinal hits.

Darren Daulton, who had hit seven home runs in the previous eight games, went hitless and struck out twice. In the bottom of the eighth inning, he and Manager Jim Fregosi were thrown out for arguing balls and strikes.

Houston 4, San Francisco 1--The two weeks spent in the minor leagues apparently have brought Luis Gonzalez out of his prolonged slump.

Gonzalez hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning at Houston to break a 1-1 tie and end the Astros’ six-game losing streak.

Gonzalez was batting .158 on May 22 when he was sent to the triple-A Tucson. Since he has returned, he has hit safely in five of seven games.

Chicago 4, Montreal 3--Light-hitting Gary Scott drove in two runs, including the tiebreaker in the sixth inning at Chicago, to help the Cubs escape the cellar in the East.

Scott was two for three to increase his average to .163.

It was the third victory in a row and fifth in six for the Cubs, who moved half a game ahead of the Expos.