NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Bonds’ Three-Run Triple Lifts Pirates, 7-6

Reportedly, the reason the Pittsburgh Pirates traded third baseman Steve Buechele and his $1.9-million salary to the Chicago Cubs was to save enough money to sign Barry Bonds.

And the All-Star left fielder’s value keeps going up.

Bonds’ triple Sunday at Cincinnati led the Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates won the last three games of the series between the National League division leaders and increased their lead in the East to 4 1/2 games.

Norm Charlton, selected to play at San Diego on Tuesday, came in to protect a 5-2 Cincinnati lead in the ninth inning, but he could not complete the job.

After retiring two of the first three batters he faced, Charlton gave up a single to Jay Bell and walked Andy Van Slyke to load the bases.

He quickly got two strikes on Bonds. But with a 2-and-2 count, Bonds hit a line drive that bounced over center fielder Dave Martinez’s head for a triple to tie the score.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been excited like that,” Van Slyke said of Bonds’ hit.

With the All-Star break coming, the Reds brought in Tim Belcher for a rare relief appearance. Gary Redus, who singled to start the tying rally, hit a two-run home run against Belcher in the 10th to win it.

This is the seventh time the Pirates have led the East at the All-Star break. The other six times they won the division.

The Reds’ lead in the West has been cut to two games over the surging Atlanta Braves.

The Pirates and Reds concluded the season’s series, 6-6, and would meet again only in the playoffs.

“I wouldn’t mind playing them again,” Bonds said.

The Reds swept four games in Pittsburgh last weekend for the first time in 12 years. The Pirates’ comeback Sunday wasn’t as historic, but it was a satisfying payback.

“They came to our place and swept four,” Redus said. “It was good to come back on them and take three of four.

“We have good pitching, and they have good pitching. We hit the ball, and they hit the ball. Overall, we match up pretty good. That makes for exciting baseball.”

San Diego 8, Philadelphia 2--Gary Sheffield had three hits, including his 18th home run, at San Diego and the Padres handed the Phillies their eighth defeat in a row.

Hot-hitting Jerald Clark hit a three-run home run to highlight a five-run first inning that made it easy for Andy Benes (7-7).

It was a costly victory for the Padres. In the sixth inning, shortstop Tony Fernandez and second baseman Kurt Stillwell collided while going after Dave Hollins’ single up the middle. Both lay on the ground for a minute or two. Fernandez stayed in the game, but Stillwell left with a rib injury.

Atlanta 7, Chicago 4--For most of the season, the wind has been blowing in at Wrigley Field, and pitchers have dominated.

But on a day when the wind was blowing out, Jeff Blauser hit three home runs. His three-run homer in the 10th inning gave the Braves a four-game sweep.

In his previous 23 games, Blauser had only eight hits in 49 at-bats (.163).

“I’m a guess hitter, and I guessed right a few times,” Blauser said. “The last time I was up in that situation in the 10th, I bunted.”

Blauser hit solo home runs in the second and sixth innings against Frank Castillo. Blauser’s winning homer came against Paul Assenmacher after singles by Terry Pendleton and David Justice.

Rich Wilkins, who was the only Cub to homer, drove in three runs with his second homer of the season and a single. But with the bases loaded and none out in the ninth inning, he hit into a home-to-first double play.

Kent Mercker (3-0) was the winning pitcher.

San Francisco 4, Montreal 0--Billy Swift was beginning to wonder if he would ever win again. Swift (7-1), who won his first six starts, has had shoulder trouble and had not won since May 7.

But four double plays in the first five innings at San Francisco helped him out of early jams and he went seven innings, giving up seven hits.

“It’s just something that I think I’m going to have the rest of the season,” Swift said of his shoulder. “It’s something that comes up in the later innings. Sure it concerns me, but I’m just going to keep pitching. If it hurts, I’ll let them know about it.”

The Expos, shut out in their last two games, head into the All-Star break with a string of 20 scoreless innings.

Houston 3, New York 1--Eddie Murray hit his 407th career home run to tie Duke Snider for 23rd on the all-time list, but his teammates were dominated by Butch Henry at Houston.

Henry (3-6) gave up only five other hits and struck out six.

With 76 games remaining, the Mets are seven games out of first place.