NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Owen Turns to Offense and Expos Beat Braves

In his 10-year career, Spike Owen has been known as a fine defensive shortstop who doesn’t do much hitting.

But to Steve Avery and the slumping Braves, he was a hitting sensation Wednesday night at Atlanta.

Owen, who hit .241 in nine previous seasons, had four consecutive hits and drove in three runs to lead the Montreal Expos to a 5-4 victory. The Expos, keeping the pressure on the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League East, have won five of six and trail the Pirates by only two games.

“It was a big thrill for me to be able to contribute and drive in some key runs,” said Owen, who raised his average this season to .276. “Let’s face it. I know what my bread and butter is. I can play defense for you.”

Owen, uncharacteristically, committed an error.

By losing five of their last six, the Braves have seen their lead in the NL West reduced to 3 1/2 games over the Cincinnati Reds.

Dennis Martinez (14-10) beat the Braves for the fifth time in a row, the third time this season. He is 8-3 lifetime against Atlanta.

Martinez, who has been one of the sparks in the Expos’ drive into contention, won his fourth in a row despite giving up four runs and six hits in seven innings. John Wetteland got the last four outs for his 29th save.

The Expos needed Larry Walker’s 19th home run to take the lead for good in the fifth inning.

Walker, playing despite an infected right foot that forced him to cut away part of his shoe so he could wear it, hit his home run shortly before rain halted play for 52 minutes in the fifth.

Atlanta reliever Alejandro Pena experienced pain in his right elbow while throwing before the game and was put on the 15-day disabled list.

Cincinnati 4, Philadelphia 3--Because of injuries, Manager Lou Piniella sometimes doesn’t know who his starting pitcher will be until just before game time, but the Reds are hanging tough.

Tom Bolton gave the Reds five innings at Cincinnati and was a winner when Glenn Braggs hit a three-run home run in the second inning.

Scott Bankhead pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning, and the Reds went on to win their fourth in a row.

The Reds built a 4-0 lead, then the Phillies battled back. The Phillies had 12 hits but left seven runners in scoring position.

Houston 6, St. Louis 5--The Astros, after losing a 13-inning game Tuesday night in their return home, went 10 innings and finally won.

Eddie Taubensee singled home the winning run with two out and the bases loaded. Tuesday, the Astros had two runners thrown out at the plate in extra innings.

The Astros had played 26 consecutive games on the road because of the Republican National Convention before returning to the Astrodome Tuesday night.

New York 5, San Francisco 3--The Mets made rookie Eric Hillman feel at home at San Francisco. Because of all their injuries they fielded a team composed mostly of players who would fit in at Tidewater.

Hillman, just back from Tidewater, held the Giants to three runs and five hits in 8 1/3 innings, and the Mets completed a sweep of the three-game series.

Hillman (2-0) held Pittsburgh scoreless for eight innings in his only other start, Aug. 11.

San Diego 3, Chicago 0--Tony Gwynn ended an 0-for-14 slump with consecutive run-scoring doubles and Craig Lefferts (13-8) outpitched 15-game winner Greg Maddux at San Diego.

Lefferts won for the first time in six starts. Randy Myers pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

Gwynn sat out games Monday and Tuesday because of a strained muscle in his left forearm. He had not had a hit since last week in Pittsburgh.