NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Swift Is Close to Perfect

The pitch was perfect, just like all of them had been for seven innings. But this time, Bill Swift’s luck was not.

Kevin Mitchell pulled a low-and-away slider to the right of the shortstop and beat the throw for an infield single that ended Swift’s perfect game in the eighth inning Thursday at Cincinnati.

The San Francisco Giant right-hander settled for a one-hitter over eight innings and a 5-1 victory over the Reds.

It was a letdown for Swift (9-3), who retired the first 21 batters with a tough slider, a moving fastball and good control.

“I wanted it real bad,” Swift said. “That’s an accomplishment in the major leagues. It doesn’t happen that often. I had a chance to witness Randy Johnson’s no-hitter with Seattle. A guy like that has a chance to throw a no-hitter every day. I don’t.”

Mitchell, leading off the eighth, managed to get around on a slider and sent it skipping into the hole at shortstop. Royce Clayton sprinted to his right and dove to get it, but didn’t have time to make a strong throw. He bounced it across the artificial turf and Mitchell, obtained in a trade that sent Swift to the Giants in 1991, was well past first base when the ball arrived.

Until the eighth, Swift was untouchable. He threw 66 pitches in the first seven innings, and didn’t go to a three-ball count.

St. Louis 11, Chicago 10--Ozzie Smith went five for five and had a career-high six runs batted in at Chicago, leading the Cardinals to their fourth consecutive victory.

Chicago’s Sammy Sosa almost matched Smith, driving in five runs with a pair of home runs.

Luis Alicea and Tom Pagnozzi had three hits apiece for the Cardinals, contributing to a 17-hit attack against four pitchers.

Smith, with two singles and three doubles, matched his career high in hits set in 1989.

Houston 4, San Diego 1--Kevin Bass delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double in the seventh inning to lift the Astros at Houston.

Darryl Kile (6-1) pitched seven innings and gave up one run and five hits for the victory. Brian Williams worked two innings for his second save.

Pittsburgh 6, New York 2--Bob Walk got his 100th major league victory--and denied Dwight Gooden his 150th--as the Pirates ended a seven-game losing streak at Pittsburgh.

Jeff King drove in four runs as the sixth-place Pirates won for only the second time in 10 games and the last-place Mets lost for the 12th time in 14 games.

The Pirates, averaging only 2.4 runs in their last 13 games, bunched eight singles to score six runs in three innings in Gooden’s shortest start in 2 1/2 seasons.

Florida 4, Philadelphia 1--Chris Hammond pitched four-hit ball over eight-plus innings at Philadelphia for his fifth consecutive victory, sending the Phillies to their third consecutive defeat.

It is the Phillies’ longest losing streak of the season.

Orestes Destrade had a two-run triple against loser Danny Jackson (6-3) in the first inning and the Marlins went on to end a three-game losing streak.