NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Schofield Drives In Six for Mets in 8-4 Victory

San Francisco Giant Manager Roger Craig probably thought it was a pretty safe move: walk Bill Pecota to face Dick Schofield, who started the day with a .195 batting average, with one out and the bases loaded in the fourth inning.

But Schofield, who was traded to the New York Mets by the Angels for Julio Valera earlier this season, made Craig and the Giants pay.

The Mets’ shortstop cleared the bases with a double, breaking a 2-2 tie and helping the Mets to an 8-4 victory over the Giants Sunday at New York.

Schofield, who had only 13 runs batted in coming into the game, added his third home run of the season, a three-run shot in the eighth inning, giving him a career-high six RBIs in the game.

“I can’t explain it,” said Schofield, whose throwing error in the first half of the inning allowed the Giants to take a 2-1 lead. “I was just trying to be more aggressive. When you’re struggling and get to 2-0, you figure you can take a pitch. You get in those situations, you want to be aggressive but under control.”

Pete Schourek (2-3) got the victory, his first decision in his last four starts. John Burkett (6-6) took the loss.

Atlanta 3, Houston 2--Rafael Belliard’s run-scoring single in the 10th inning gave the Braves a victory at Houston for a four-game sweep and their ninth consecutive victory.

The streak is a season high for the Braves, who remained one game behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL West. Atlanta has won 11 in a row in the Astrodome, the most ever by a Houston opponent.

Mark Lemke led off the 10th with a single off reliever Xavier Hernandez (5-1). Deion Sanders ran for Lemke and moved to second when pinch-hitter Lonnie Smith was hit by a pitch. Sanders advanced to third on a grounder by Otis Nixon and scored on Belliard’s single to right.

Marvin Freeman (3-3) pitched one inning for the victory and Alejandro Pena retired the side in the 10th inning for his 10th save.

Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 4--Jeff Branson had a two-run pinch-hit single and Bip Roberts followed with a two-run homer as the Reds rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to beat the Cardinals at Cincinnati.

The Reds won their third in a row by sending eight batters to the plate in the seventh against Mark Clark and Cris Carpenter (3-3), who failed to hold a 4-0 lead.

Bill Doran’s run-scoring double ended Clark’s appearance, and Carpenter gave up a two-out single to Branson that cut it to 4-3, setting the stage for Roberts’ home run.

Dwayne Henry (2-2) pitched one perfect inning in relief of struggling Chris Hammond to get the victory. Norm Charlton pitched the ninth for his 23rd save, tying the Cardinals’ Lee Smith for the National League lead.

San Diego 9, Montreal 2--Craig Lefferts, a reliever turned starter, earned his 11th victory as the Padres beat the Expos to gain a split of the four-game series at Montreal.

Lefferts (11-6) gave up seven hits, struck out five, walked none and left the game after six innings with the score tied, 2-2.

Kurt Stillwell tripled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh off Mark Gardner (8-8) when pinch-hitter Oscar Azocar blooped a single to left. Tony Gwynn scored Azocar with a triple and came home when shortstop Tom Foley’s relay throw skipped past third.

Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 2--Ryne Sandberg hit a go-ahead two-run homer off Stan Belinda in the ninth inning and Mark Grace drove in two runs as the Cubs spoiled former teammate Danny Jackson’s Pirates’ debut.

Barry Bonds’ first homer since June 13 tied the score, 2-2, in the eighth at Pittsburgh, but reliever Denny Neagle (3-5) quickly got into trouble in the ninth by allowing Doug Dascenzo’s leadoff double. Neagle got Derrick May to ground out and Belinda came on to retire Dwight Smith on a fly ball, but Sandberg worked the count full before hitting a drive to left for his 12th homer. Bob Scanlan (3-5) got the final five outs for the victory.