NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Destrade, Marlins Pound Giants, 7-4

Orestes Destrade, booed at home throughout the season, hit a pair of home runs Friday to lead the Florida Marlins past the San Francisco Giants, 7-4, at Miami, extending the Giants’ losing streak to a season-high four games.

First-place San Francisco maintained a 4 1/2-game lead in the National League West over Atlanta, which lost to Chicago, 9-7.

Destrade, who had six runs batted in, came out of the dugout to provide a curtain call for a crowd of 45,796, largest of the season at Joe Robbie Stadium, after his second homer.

“I guess people are starting to think differently about our first baseman,” Marlin Manager Rene Lachemann said. “They asked him to take a bow. There was a time when they were asking for his scalp.”

John Burkett (18-6) lasted only 4 1/3 innings against Florida, giving up nine hits and six runs, including Destrade’s three-run homer in the fifth. Burkett’s earned-run average in his last three starts is 13.15. He has given up 28 hits in his last 13 innings.

Destrade led off the seventh against Jeff Brantley with his 17th home run, his eighth in August. The two-homer game was a first for Destrade, and his six RBIs represented a season high by a Marlin.

Chicago 9, Atlanta 7--Derrick May hit reliever Mike Stanton’s first pitch for a seventh-inning grand slam as the Cubs stunned the Braves at Atlanta.

The Braves lost an opportunity to gain ground on the Giants when the Cubs rallied from a 6-4 deficit in the seventh.

Reliever Mark Wohlers issued a one-out walk to Willie Wilson and a single to Dwight Smith. Ryne Sandberg then reached on Fred McGriff’s throwing error, with Wilson scoring on the play.

Wohlers (5-1) walked Mark Grace intentionally to load the bases, bringing May to the plate and Stanton to the mound. May hit the first pitch deep into the right-field seats for the first grand slam of his career.

Montreal 3, Houston 1--Dennis Martinez, who rejected a deal that would have sent him to Atlanta on Thursday, gave up one run and seven hits in eight innings as the Expos won at Montreal.

Martinez (12-8) won his second consecutive decision after going 0-3 in seven starts since the All-Star break.

Darrin Fletcher hit a two-run homer to cap a three-run first inning against Doug Drabek (7-15), who has lost seven consecutive games.

Houston reliever Todd Jones was ejected by home plate umpire Steve Rippley in the eighth inning after brushing back Martinez twice during the same at-bat.

With Martinez on first, Al Osuna threw to the base, but first basemen Jeff Bagwell was playing too deep. The ball barely missed hitting Martinez in the leg before rolling into foul territory.

After the throw, Osuna and catcher Eddie Taubensee were meeting between home plate and the mound when Rippley joined the conversation and tossed Osuna. Houston Manager Art Howe then charged from the dugout and also was ejected.

Cincinnati 8, Philadelphia 5--Pinch-hitter Brian Dorsett’s two-run single off reliever Mitch Williams in the ninth inning rallied the Reds at Philadelphia.

Williams, who had recorded 13 consecutive saves and was trying for a career-high 37th of the season, failed to hold a 5-4 lead.

He walked Joe Oliver and Juan Samuel to start the ninth. Jeff Branson then sacrificed the runners to second and third, and they scored on Dorsett’s single.

San Diego 10, Pittsburgh 6--Phil Plantier and Archi Cianfrocco each drove in three runs as the Padres held on to win at Pittsburgh.

The Padres have won four consecutive games, matching their longest winning streak of the season.

Andy Benes (14-10) took a one-hit, 9-0 shutout into the eighth inning, but left in the eighth after giving up four hits, including a three-run homer to light-hitting Tom Prince.

New York 3, Colorado 2--Sid Fernandez pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and Ryan Thompson hit a three-run homer for the Mets as the teams with the worst records in baseball met at New York.

Fernandez (3-4) struck out nine and walked one.

Eddie Murray singled with one out in the fourth inning and Jeff Kent walked before Thompson’s fifth homer.