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NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Benzinger’s Two Hits Key to Giant Victory

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From Associated Press

Another day, another hero for the San Francisco Giants.

Thursday belonged to Todd Benzinger, who homered and doubled to lead the Giants to a 6-3 victory over the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

The Giants have won seven of nine games and 16 of their last 22. They are 41 games over .500 (81-40) for the first time since they won a three-game National League playoff over the Dodgers in 1962 to finish that season 103-62.

Bryan Hickerson (6-4) pitched five-hit ball over seven-plus innings. The left-hander is 6-2 in 10 starts, but had lost his previous two.

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The Giants got all the offense they would need in a five-run second inning that gave Pirate starter Bob Walk (11-11) his fifth loss in six starts.

Benzinger, batting .409 since replacing the injured Will Clark five games ago, doubled in a run and scored when Walk threw wildly on Dave Martinez’s bunt single. After Mike Benjamin walked and Hickerson followed with a run-scoring groundout, Willie McGee hit his fourth home run to make it a 5-0 game.

Benzinger, batting .464 (13 for 28) in his last nine starts, hit his first homer of the season in the fifth off Paul Wagner.

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“I’m just happy to be on a team with so many wins,” he said. “I’m just happy to contribute. We have guys on our bench who have played every day in the past. I have, Dave Martinez has, and that makes us better when we get in there.”

St. Louis 3, San Diego 2--Mark Whiten’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly broke an eighth-inning tie as the Cardinals swept a three-game series at St. Louis.

The Padres, losers of five consecutive games, managed only three hits off Allen Watson and three relievers.

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Watson gave up two hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings and also had two doubles.

Colorado 6, Philadelphia 5--Freddie Benavides hit a three-run homer as the Rockies rallied from a four-run deficit in the eighth inning at Denver.

With Philadelphia leading, 5-1, Jerald Clark hit a one-out triple off Larry Andersen. Danny Sheaffer followed with an RBI groundout, and Vinny Castilla doubled. David West walked Joe Girardi, and Eric Young singled home a run off Roger Mason (4-9), making it 5-3. Benavides then hit his second home run of the season.

Marcus Moore (2-0) pitched two innings and Darren Holmes pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save.

Montreal 10, Chicago 2--Jeff Fassero pitched a five-hitter for the first complete game of his career, and the Expos scored six unearned runs in the seventh inning at Chicago.

Fassero (8-3), making his eighth start after 161 consecutive relief appearances, struck out nine. Scott Fletcher, who had only three hits in his 38 previous at-bats, hit his sixth home run in a three-run fourth off Frank Castillo (5-8).

Houston 8, Florida 3--Kevin Bass homered, doubled twice and drove in five runs as the Astros swept a three-game series at Houston.

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Mark Portugal (12-4) reached 12 victories for the first time in his career, winning his sixth consecutive decision.

Charlie Hough (7-13) gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings as the Marlins lost their fourth in a row.

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