NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Pirates End Braves’ Streak at 13

It was more than half a season too late, but the Pittsburgh Pirates finally scored against Steve Avery and ended the Atlanta Braves’ winning streak at 13 on Sunday.

Avery, who beat the Pirates for the National League championship last fall, went into the seventh inning at Atlanta with a 1-0 lead and had the Braves in position to win a club record 14th in a row.

The Pirates didn’t beat Avery, but they ended his scoreless string against them at 30 2/3 innings and won, 5-4, after wasting a 4-1 lead.

Lonnie Smith’s pinch three-run home run against Stan Belinda during the eighth inning tied the score, but Orlando Merced’s two-out single during the ninth scored Jeff King.

The Pirates remained two games ahead of the surging Montreal Expos in the East. With the Reds winning again, the Braves’ lead in the West was cut to one game.

The Braves impressed Pirate Manager Jim Leyland.

“That’s a great team over there, and they’re on a roll,” he said. “We could have folded. We didn’t. We’re a championship type, too.”

The Pirates started Paul Wagner, recently recalled from double-A after Zane Smith became injured again. The rookie pitched four innings in his debut, giving up a run and four hits.

Avery, who pitched 16 1/3 scoreless innings against the Pirates in the playoffs, had given up three hits when Lloyd McClendon singled to open the seventh. A walk to Barry Bonds and King’s double tied the score. Don Slaught hit a sacrifice fly and Merced’s run-scoring single finished Avery.

Jay Bell homered during the eighth against Marvin Freeman to make the score 4-1. Smith’s second homer as a pinch-hitter tied the score.

Cincinnati 7, St. Louis 6--Although Hal Morris’ home run during the 10th inning at St. Louis won it, newcomer Darnell Coles continues to lead the Reds out of their slump.

Coles, who was four for four, scored three runs and drove in two runs Saturday night when the Reds ended a four-game losing streak, came right back to go five for six, score two runs and increase his average to .345.

The Reds had the game’s first nine hits and took a 4-0 lead, but the Cardinals, with Andres Galarraga hitting a home run, rallied to take a 6-4 lead.

The Reds tied the score during the ninth against bullpen ace Lee Smith. Coles singled to start the rally and scored on Bill Doran’s two-out single. It was Smith’s sixth failure in 30 save chances.

“You can’t help but look at the scoreboard,” Morris said. “They have so many scoreboards in this park, it’s impossible to ignore them.

“The Braves have won 13 of their last 14 and we’re only one game out. That’s fine with me,” he said.

Galarraga has emerged from a two-year slump to go 11 for 21 in the last six games, including two home runs, and has driven in six runs.

San Diego 1, New York 0--Shutting out the Mets this season isn’t that much of an achievement, but Bruce Hurst (10-6) is proud that he has done it three times.

Hurst struggled out of several jams, giving up seven hits at New York to hand the Mets their 13th shutout this season. It took a diving catch by center fielder Darrin Jackson on Dave Magadan’s drive with a man on base during the ninth to win it. The catch extended to 20 the Padres’ string of shutout innings against the Mets.

Gary Sheffield hit a double and Benito Santiago singled him home during the second inning.

Chicago 8, Houston 5--It wasn’t a rousing send-off at Houston before the Astros’ begin a 26-game trip.

The Astros’ Eric Anthony hit two home runs, but the Cubs got 16 hits and took an 8-1 lead after eight innings.

Because they have to vacate the Astrodome for the Republican Convention, the Astros will not play at home again until Aug. 25.

Mike Harkey, sidelined for most of last season because of a shoulder problem, gave up a run and five hits in six innings for his first victory in two years.

Philadelphia 7, San Francisco 2--After the first pitch at Philadelphia, it was easy for Terry Mulholland (10-7). Mike Felder hit the first pitch for a home run.

Len Dykstra homered and scored twice and Mulholland pitched his seventh complete game. Despite the loss, the Giants won the season’s series, 9-3.