NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Sabo, Oliver Hit Grand Slams for Reds

Chris Sabo and Joe Oliver hit grand slams Saturday, the first time since 1955 that Cincinnati has had two in the same game, and the Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs, 15-5, at Chicago.

Also, Bip Roberts and Reggie Sanders hit two-run homers to help Tom Browning (1-2) win his first game since June 26.

Steve Lake homered for Chicago as both teams took advantage of a 26 m.p.h. wind blowing out to center field.

Sabo, who also had two doubles and a single, drove in a career-high five runs. His first lifetime slam came during the first inning.

“When the wind is blowing out, everything is distorted,” Sabo said. “I’m a fly ball hitter, anyway. So I like it.”

Oliver’s slam, his first of the season, came during the seventh inning and was the second of his career.

Oliver, a catcher, said he had mixed feelings about the wind.

“As a hitter, I’m happy it’s blowing out,” said Oliver, “but when I have to go out there and work with the pitcher, I have to get him to keep the ball down. It’s fun on one hand, and a lot of work on the other.”

The last time the Reds hit two grand slams in the same game was on July 29, 1955, when Smoky Burgess and Bob Thurman connected against Pittsburgh.

Browning, who gave up nine hits and two runs in seven innings, spent the last half of the 1992 season on the disabled list because of knee surgery.

Greg Hibbard (1-1) was the loser.

The Reds loaded the bases in the first on a single by Cecil Espy, a double by Barry Larkin and a grounder that Hibbard misplayed. Sabo followed with his fourth home run of the season.

Cincinnati added three runs in the third on a walk to Larkin, a single by Randy Milligan, a double by Sabo and a throwing error by left fielder Candy Maldonado.

Roberts made the score 9-0 during the fourth with his first home run. Singles by Milligan, Sabo and Reggie Sanders loaded the bases for Oliver’s homer during the seventh against Dan Plesac.

Montreal 6, San Francisco 1--Ken Hill pitched a four-hitter and doubled home a run at Montreal as the Expos won their sixth consecutive game.

Utility man John Vander Wal drove in three runs with two singles and Larry Walker hit a solo homer for the Expos.

Hill (3-0) struck out four and walked three. He pitched hitless ball until Willie McGee singled with one out during the sixth inning and Hill shut out the Giants until Royce Clayton’s run-scoring single during the seventh.

Dave Burba (2-1) gave up five runs on nine hits.

The Expos took a 2-0 lead during the first on a leadoff walk to Delino DeShields, a single by Mike Lansing and run-scoring singles by Marquis Grissom and Vander Wal.

Grissom and Walker singled during the third inning, executed a double steal and scored on Vander Wal’s single. Walker hit his fourth home run of the season during the fifth and Hill had a run-scoring double during the sixth for a 6-0 lead.

Houston 8, Pittsburgh 4--Eric Anthony’s two-run double highlighted a five-run eighth inning as the Astros beat the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

The loss dropped the Pirates under .500, the first time they have had a losing record since they were 3-4 on April 15, 1991. Their streak of 375 regular-season days had been the longest active stretch in the major leagues.

Reliever John Candelaria (0-2) had the bases empty and two out when he hit Steve Finley with an 0-and-2 pitch. He walked Jeff Bagwell before giving up Anthony’s double.

Xavier Hernandez (1-0) won despite giving the Pirates the go-ahead run during the seventh on Andy Van Slyke’s double and a single by Orlando Merced. Doug Jones pitched the last two innings.

Atlanta 11, St. Louis 0--Pete Smith pitched six-hit ball for eight innings as the Braves routed the Cardinals and struggling Bob Tewksbury at St. Louis.

Jeff Blauser extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games with a double, Otis Nixon had two hits and scored twice and David Justice also drove in two runs. Ron Gant had three hits, including a run-scoring double.

Smith (2-1) walked four and struck out five before Marvin Freeman took over. Five of the Braves’ 11 victories this season have been shutouts.

Atlanta broke open a scoreless game and chased Tewksbury (0-3) with three runs during the sixth inning. The Braves added six more runs during the seventh against relievers Les Lancaster, Tom Urbani and Mike Perez.

San Diego 5, New York 3--Phil Plantier and Derek Bell each hit two-run homers, sending the Padres past the Mets at New York.

Gary Sheffield led off the second inning with the first of his two singles and Plantier followed with his third homer of the season. Bell hit his fourth homer with one out during the ninth against Jeff Innis.

Frank Seminara (1-1) combined with three relievers on a six-hitter. Howard Johnson homered for the Mets.

Bret Saberhagen (2-2), who began the season with two victories over Colorado, lost his second consecutive decision. He gave up three runs on eight hits in seven innings.

Seminara (1-1) gave up three hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Florida 2, Colorado 1--After the game was delayed 1 hour 11 minutes because of rain and a brief period of snow, the Marlins beat the Rockies at Denver.

Luis Aquino (1-1), acquired from Kansas City on March 27, repeatedly got out of jams. During the seventh inning, the Rockies loaded the bases on a single, an error and a walk, but Alex Cole flied out for the third out.

Aquino pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Cris Carpenter pitched a hitless eighth.

Bryan Harvey relieved to start the ninth with a 2-0 lead. Joe Girardi led off with a single for his fourth hit of the game and Dante Bichette followed with a single.

After pinch-hitter Jerald Clark struck out, Eric Young hit a sacrifice fly. Bichette stole second before Harvey retired Cole on a fly ball for his fifth save.

The Marlins scored during the second inning against Andy Ashby (0-1) on three singles, including broken-bat hits by Benito Santiago and Jeff Conine.