NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Marlins Get Their First Sweep

The Florida Marlins swept a three-game series for the first time in their history Sunday at San Diego, beating the Padres, 9-2, as pitcher Chris Hammond hit a home run.

“It’s not a milestone,” Manager Rene Lachemann said. “We have 107 games to play. When we come back here, is it going to be a milestone that it happened in San Diego? I don’t think so.”

Hammond (5-4) gave up two runs, one earned, and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. Trevor Hoffman got the final four outs to help send the Padres to their 11th loss in 14 games.

“When I went out for the eighth inning, I felt good, but then I walked a guy. I guess I just didn’t have it,” Hammond said.

Bret Barberie hit a three-run homer for the Marlins during a four-run eighth inning. Florida outscored the Padres, 18-5, in the three games.

Orestes Destrade, who had three hits, hit a two-run double in the third and Hammond added a solo homer in the fourth against Doug Brocail (1-1) to give the Marlins a 3-1 lead.

Houston 5, New York 4--Scott Servais’ third double of the game drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Astros rallied for the third consecutive day to defeat the Mets at Houston.

It was the Astros’ sixth victory in a row over the Mets this season. On Saturday, Houston scored six runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 5-1 deficit.

Chris James singled to lead off the Astros’ seventh against Pete Schourek (2-7) and Ken Caminiti followed with a home run over the left-field wall, his ninth, to tie the score, 4-4. After Luis Gonzales singled and stole second, Servais hit his club record-tying third double of the game.

Chicago 4, Montreal 1--The Cubs ended a four-game losing streak and avoided a four-game sweep at Montreal.

Greg Hibbard (7-3), who is 6-1 in his last seven starts, held Montreal to six hits in 7 2/3 innings, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Randy Myers pitched out of two-on, two-out situations in the eighth and ninth innings and got his 17th save in 18 opportunities.

Ken Hill (6-1), pitching with a strained right groin, took his first loss of the season. He gave up nine hits, struck out one and walked two in eight innings.

Philadelphia 11, Colorado 7--Pete Incaviglia and Mariano Duncan hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning to lead the Phillies past the Rockies at Philadelphia for their 10th victory in 13 games.

Darren Daulton and Jim Eisenreich each drove in three runs and Lenny Dykstra had four hits as the Phillies improved to a major league-best 38-16.

Chris Jones hit two homers and drove in four runs for the Rockies.

Curt Schilling (7-1) was the winner despite giving up five runs and eight hits in five innings.

St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 1--Joe Magrane pitched his best game in a month and Ray Lankford doubled home two runs in a three-run sixth that lifted the Cardinals at Cincinnati.

Magrane (3-6) gave up five hits in seven innings to end his four-game losing streak.

St. Louis batted around in the sixth against Jose Rijo (6-2).

Rijo set up the Cardinals’ decisive rally with the score tied, 1-1, in the sixth. He gave up a leadoff single and two walks before Lankford slapped a double down the left-field line for two runs. Willie Greene’s infield single two outs later drove in the third run of the inning.

San Francisco 7, Pittsburgh 1--Barry Bonds and Will Clark each hit two-run doubles as the Giants beat the Pirates at San Francisco.

The Giants jumped on right-hander Bob Walk (7-4) for two runs in the first inning and prevented him from collecting his 100th major league victory.

Clark left the game after he suffered a bruised left knee in a fourth-inning collision at the plate, but the injury was not considered serious.