NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Sheffield’s Homer a Winner Against Old Padre Friends

Gary Sheffield maintains that he has no extra incentive when he plays the San Diego Padres, the team that traded him to the Florida Marlins in June.

He could afford to be gracious after his sixth-inning home run broke a 1-1 tie and keyed the Marlins’ 2-1 victory Tuesday night at Miami.

“Those guys are my friends,” Sheffield said. “Players come and go. Managers come and go. That’s baseball. I miss everything out there. I like being here, but that’s the place where I wanted to stay.”

Tuesday’s game was Sheffield’s first against the Padres, who traded him on June 24. His 19th home run and ninth with the Marlins came off Tim Worrell (1-4), who arrived in San Diego the same day Sheffield left.

“It was a slider up,” said Worrell, younger brother of Dodger pitcher Todd.

St. Louis 7, Cincinnati 6--Bernard Gilkey’s two-run triple with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Cardinals over the Reds at St. Louis.

Ozzie Smith singled with one out in the ninth and stole second despite a pitchout. Gregg Jefferies walked and Todd Zeile grounded out before Gilkey’s triple to left-center off Rob Dibble (1-2).

Houston 10, New York 2--Pete Harnisch gave up three hits in seven innings, and the Astros pounded three Met pitchers for a season-high 18 hits at New York, ending a five-game losing streak.

Harnisch (12-8) struck out six and walked three in matching his single-season victory mark set in 1991.

Philadelphia 7, Chicago 0--Ben Rivera pitched a four-hitter, including Mark Grace’s 1,000th, and the Phillies beat the Cubs at Chicago.

Rivera (12-7) matched his career-high with nine strikeouts in his first complete game in 23 starts. The outing matched his career-best four-hitter against Montreal last September.

Montreal 14, Houston 3--Wil Cordero hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs at Denver, and Gil Heredia gave up six hits as the Expos extended their winning streak to six games.

Heredia (3-2) pitched six innings, striking out five and walking one.