NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Bell Keeps Hitting, Pirates Win

Jay Bell extended his hitting streak to 22 games and his game-winning single in the 13th inning Thursday night at Pittsburgh gave the Pirates a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Expos to restore their four-game lead in the National League East.

The Expos led, 2-0, and were in position to move to within two games of the lead. But the Pirates fought back to win despite stranding 15 runners. They stranded 25 in the two-game series.

Cecil Espy started the bottom of the 13th with a triple to right-center off Kent Bottenfield, the Expos’ fourth pitcher. Alex Cole was then intentionally walked.

Bottenfield got ahead on the count 0-and-2 against Bell, who with a single in the 11th had extended the NL’s longest batting streak since the Dodgers’ Brett Butler hit in 23 games last season. But Bell singled again, between third and short, scoring Espy for the winner.

Cincinnati 3, Atlanta 2--John Smoltz of the Braves lost his control and a two-run lead as the Reds rallied at Cincinnati and concluded their season with the NL West leaders in fitting fashion.

There was as much action afterward in the Reds’ locker room. Manager Lou Piniella, irritated by postgame comments from Rob Dibble, charged his star reliever and got into a wrestling match. Several players separated them as Piniella called Dibble, who claimed he was healthy enough to pitch, a liar.

The teams finished a summer of home-field domination. The second-place Reds, who trail by 9 1/2 games, took eight of nine at Riverfront Stadium, but Atlanta won eight of nine at home.

The Reds scored three runs in the fifth inning with the help of two wild pitches and a walk from Smoltz (15-11), who failed to hold a 2-0 lead. Smoltz lasted only 3 2/3 innings last Saturday against the Astros, giving up seven hits and three runs in a no-decision.

Chicago 3, Philadelphia 0--Mike Morgan matched his career-best with a two-hitter and threw his first shutout of the season to lead the Cubs at Chicago.

The shutout was Morgan’s first since he beat San Diego on April 30, 1991, while with the Dodgers. Morgan (15-7) had two previous two-hitters.

St. Louis 3, New York 2--Bernard Gilkey hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Cardinals the win at New York.