NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Burkett Beats Phillies for His 14th Victory

Frustrated with the way he had pitched lately, John Burkett decided it was time for a change.

The San Francisco pitcher took the mound against Philadelphia on Thursday with a more serious attitude and a sharper fastball. Both worked to shut down the Phillies, ending their winning streak at four games.

Burkett gave up five hits and became the National League’s first 14-game winner with a 4-1 victory at San Francisco.

“The last three times I stepped to the mound, I didn’t pitch well,” he said after matching his 1992 victory total. “I just felt more intense and more serious about today’s game. I had good concentration today.”

Burkett had given up 18 hits in his last two starts, both losses. In between, he took the loss for the National League in the All-Star game.

“He had his stuff back together again,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said. “He had a better fastball and better command of his pitches. This team (Philadelphia) hits fastballs, so he was spotting it well.”

Burkett (14-4) held the Phillies to five hits through 7 1/3 innings. He walked three, one intentionally, and struck out six.

The right-hander left the game after giving up a one-out run-scoring single to John Kruk. Mike Jackson came in with runners on first and second and retired the Phillies’ two leading run-producers, Dave Hollins and Darren Daulton.

Rod Beck pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 29 opportunities.

Pittsburgh 8, Atlanta 7--Kevin Young’s two-out, two-run double capped the Pirates’ four-run rally in the ninth against the Brave bullpen as the Pirates surged back to beat the Braves at Pittsburgh.

Atlanta scored twice in the top of the ninth to take a 7-4 lead and brought on closer Mike Stanton to finish it, but neither Stanton nor Jay Howell (1-3) could get the final out. Before Thursday, the Braves were 48-2 when leading after eight innings.

Lonnie Smith walked and Carlos Garcia singled ahead of Jay Bell’s run-scoring force-play grounder, prompting Manager Bobby Cox to bring in the right-handed Howell to face pinch-hitter Lloyd McClendon, who walked.

One out later, Dave Clark singled, setting up Young’s game-winner.

Houston 9, Chicago 4--Craig Biggio drove in four runs with two singles and Luis Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a home run and a single to lead the Astros at Houston.

Brian Williams (3-3) was the winner, giving up four runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out a career-high eight and walked four.

Mike Harkey (7-4) took the loss.

With the score tied, 4-4, Houston scored four sixth-inning runs. Gonzalez led off with his 12th homer of the season. A walk to Eric Anthony, a single by Chris Donnels and an intentional walk to Andujar Cedeno loaded the bases before run-scoring singles by Kevin Bass and Biggio.

Cincinnati 7, Florida 3--Juan Samuel hit a three-run homer and Reggie Sanders added a two-run home run to lead the Reds at Miami.

Samuel’s third homer of the season, a 429-foot shot over the center-field fence, highlighted a five-run fourth. Sanders’ 14th, in the seventh, helped Tom Browning (7-5) to the victory.

Scott Service relieved Browning with two out in the seventh and finished up.

Jack Armstrong (7-10), who beat the Reds and Browning, 6-2, with eight strong innings in his last start, July 17, failed in his bid to win three in a row. He last won three consecutively May 12, 1991, as a Red starter.

Colorado 7, St. Louis 6--Dante Bichette doubled and scored on Jerald Clark’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning as the Rockies rallied at Denver.

Rookie Roberto Mejia led off the ninth against newly acquired Cardinal pitcher Todd Burns (0-1) with a bunt single and was thrown out trying to score on Bichette’s double. But Bichette moved to third on the relay to the plate by Ozzie Smith and scored on Clark’s fly ball to center.

Montreal 10, San Diego 5--Larry Walker and Wil Cordero each hit two-run homers as the Expos won at San Diego for the seventh consecutive time.

The Expos, who had won only one of their first seven games on their road trip, hit both homers against Andy Benes, who dropped out of the National League ERA lead. Ken Hill (7-2) took over the top spot, lowering his ERA to 2.59.