NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Harkey Sharp in Return, but Cub Relievers Falter and Reds Rally to Win

Chicago’s Mike Harkey, making his first major league start since shoulder surgery in May 1991, was sharp Monday night at Cincinnati. But the Reds beat up on the Cubs’ relievers to take a 5-2 victory.

Harkey threw three-hit ball over five innings before giving up a leadoff triple and a walk in the sixth.

Chuck McElroy (3-5) snuffed out that threat, but was charged with two runs in the seventh, when Barry Larkin gave the Reds a 3-2 lead with a sacrifice fly.

Cesar Hernandez drove in two more runs in the eighth with his first major league double and Rob Dibble did the rest, striking out all five batters he faced.

“That’s the best I’ve ever seen Dibble pitch,” Cub Manager Jim Lefebvre said. “He’s at the top of his game.”

Dibble earned his 13th save, taking over in the eighth with two runners on base and striking out Andre Dawson and Steve Buechele, who earlier accounted for both Chicago runs.

“We’re playing with a purpose,” said Red Manager Lou Piniella, whose club won its fourth in a row and took a 1 1/2-game lead in the NL West over idle Atlanta.

San Diego 2, Philadelphia 1--Fred McGriff had a second-inning home run and ninth-inning RBI single for the Padres at Philadelphia.

McGriff is hitting .341 with 13 doubles, a triple, 12 home runs and 37 RBIs in his last 57 games. His hit in the ninth scored Tony Gwynn, who singled off Barry Jones (4-5) and advanced to third on a single by Gary Sheffield.

Padre reliever Rich Rodriguez (5-2) pitched one inning for the victory. Randy Myers retired the Phillies in the ninth for his 16th save.

Houston 11, Pittsburgh 8--Rookie Eddie Taubensee hit his first major league home run, doubled, singled, drove in two runs and scored twice to lead the Astros past the Pirates at Houston.

Ken Caminiti also homered, singled and drove in three runs as the Astros ended a four-game losing streak. In its previous four games against Atlanta at home, Houston scored only four runs.

Willie Blair (2-4) worked one inning for the victory and Doug Jones pitched 1 2/3 innings for his 20th save.

There were six homers in the game, including three in one inning by the Pirates. Jeff King led off the fourth with a homer and later in the inning Andy Van Slyke and Barry Bonds also homered.

Montreal 2, San Francisco 1--Brian Barnes pitched three-hit ball over eight-plus innings and drove in a run with a sixth-inning single at Montreal as the Expos handed the Giants their fourth loss in a row.

Barnes (2-2), who pitched at triple-A Indianapolis until he was recalled June 20, struck out eight and walked two.