NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Anthony Young Loses His 22nd in Row

Anthony Young lost his 22nd consecutive game, one short of Clifton Curtis’ 82-year-old major league record, as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Mets, 5-2, Friday night at Pittsburgh.

It was the Mets’ 13th loss in 15 games.

Young (0-8) has lost 10 in a row as a starter and 12 in a row as a reliever over 70 appearances since his last victory on April 19, 1992. His streak is the second-longest in major league history, and is one away from matching Curtis’ 23 consecutive losses for the Boston Braves in 1910-11.

“(Young) is living through hell right now,” Met Manager Dallas Green said.

Until Young’s streak started on May 6, 1992, no major leaguer had lost more than 19 consecutive decisions since Curtis built his string of losses during baseball’s dead-ball era.

“It didn’t affect me mentally or nothing,” said Young, who will start again Wednesday against Montreal. “I felt like I pitched a good game. I got inside on their hitters and broke three or four bats. I just can’t get a break right now.”

Or a victory.

“It’s a shame to see a kid have to go through this,” Green said. “It would be different with a veteran. I want him to win a game and get rid of all this. He has to do it, he’s got the ball. He’s the one who gave up the five runs.”

Montreal 2, Atlanta 1--Dennis Martinez recorded his 200th victory with eight strong innings to lift the Expos at Montreal.

Martinez (7-5) won his fifth consecutive start and became the 92nd player in major league history to reach the 200-victory mark.

Martinez, who gave up four hits, left in the ninth after giving up a leadoff single to Terry Pendleton. John Wetteland got the final three outs for his 13th save in 16 opportunities.

Larry Walker hit a two-run double in the sixth inning to give Montreal the lead. Ron Gant homered in the seventh for the Braves.

Philadelphia 7, Florida 3--Darren Daulton drove in three runs as the Phillies ended a season-high three-game losing streak at Philadelphia.

The Phillies overcame a 3-2 deficit against Ryan Bowen (4-7) when they batted around in the fifth inning, scoring five runs on four hits, three walks and two wild pitches. Daulton and Jim Eisenreich each singled in a run, Kim Batiste had a two-run single, and another scored on a wild pitch.

San Francisco 5, Houston 0--Bud Black pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings and Darren Lewis went four for four, leading the Giants at Houston.

The first-place Giants have won nine of their last 11 games.

Black (6-1) gave up six hits, struck out four and walked two. Mike Jackson finished.

Chicago 8, St. Louis 3--Shawn Boskie won for the first time in more than a year and Dwight Smith broke a tie with a home run to lift the Cubs at Chicago.

Boskie (1-0), recalled from triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, gave up three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings to win for the first time since June 2, 1992. He struck out five and left after walking the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

San Diego 11, Colorado 1--Derek Bell drove in four runs and Greg Harris scattered eight hits in a complete-game victory to lead the Padres at San Diego.

Harris (7-7) lost his shutout bid in the ninth when Charlie Hayes led off with a homer, his 10th.

After opening the season 1-5, Harris is 6-2 in his last nine starts. It was his third complete game of the season. He struck out seven and walked none.

The Padres scored seven runs on only four hits in the first two innings, capitalizing on six walks, one intentional, and an error.