NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Giants’ Burba Rested Enough to Beat Marlins

Pitching on two days’ rest, Dave Burba did even more than was asked of him.

Limiting the Florida Marlins to one run and four hits over six innings Tuesday, Burba laid the foundation for the San Francisco Giants’ fourth consecutive victory, 3-1. The Giants won without left fielder Barry Bonds, sidelined because of a strained right hamstring.

Burba (2-0), whose previous two appearances this season came in relief, was starting as an emergency replacement for Bud Black, sidelined by inflammation in his left shoulder.

Kirt Manwaring’s offense gave Burba the support he needed with a solo homer in the fifth inning that broke a tie.

The Marlins, playing the second game of their inaugural road trip, have lost six of their last seven. Three of those losses, including a 4-3 setback Monday, have been in one-run games.

Manwaring hit his first home run of the year to left-center field against Florida starter Luis Aquino (0-1). In the eighth, Manwaring led off with a double, went to second on a sacrifice and scored on a single by Willie McGee.

Houston 9, Montreal 6--Andujar Cedeno’s two-run single and Ed Taubensee’s two-run home run highlighted a seven-run eighth inning as the Astros rallied for a victory, spoiling the Expos’ home opener before 51,539 at Olympic Stadium.

The Expos blew a 5-2 lead after manager Felipe Alou chose to relieve Ken Hill at the start of the eighth. Hill gave up four hits and two runs in seven innings.

Steve Finley and Jeff Bagwell delivered run-scoring singles in the eighth to make it 5-4 before Mel Rojas (0-1) threw a wild pitch that tied the score. Cedeno followed with a two-run single and Taubensee hit his first homer. Both hits came off Brian Barnes.

Philadelphia 4, Cincinnati 1--The Phillies won for the seventh time in eight games for one of the best starts in team history as Tommy Greene pitched seven strong innings at Philadelphia.

It is the Phillies’ best start since beginning the 1915 season 8-0. They were 10-2 to start the 1964 season.

Greene (1-0) gave up only two hits, struck out eight and walked one as the Phillies won their fourth straight game. Mitch Williams got the last three outs for his fifth save.

Atlanta 3, Chicago 2--Tom Glavine survived a shaky first inning for his second victory and David Justice hit a home run as the Braves won at Atlanta.

The Braves, who entered the game with a .188 team batting average, had nine hits for their second-highest total this season. Atlanta has won six of its first nine games.

Glavine (2-0) gave up two runs and three hits in the first inning before settling down.

New York 8, Colorado 4--Todd Hundley hit a bases-loaded triple that highlighted a six-run eighth inning, rallying the Mets past the self-destructing Rockies at Denver.

The eighth inning was disastrous for Rockies pitchers, who issued four walks and threw a wild pitch.

Pittsburgh 6, San Diego 4--Pitcher Bob Walk hit a two-run single, Don Slaught tied a career-high with four hits as the Pirates beat the Padres for the fourth consecutive time.

Walk (2-0) has beaten the Padres in consecutive starts despite allowing four solo homers.