NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Gant’s Homer in 9th Caps Five-Run Rally

Ron Gant’s three-run homer capped a five-run ninth inning, and the Atlanta Braves continued their amazing roll with a 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday night at Atlanta.

The Braves have won seven of eight and 28 of 34 and are 3 1/2 games in front of the San Francisco Giants in the National League West. The Giants lost their eighth game in a row earlier Wednesday, 3-1 to Chicago.

Gant took over the league lead with 107 runs batted in when he hit his 35th homer off reliever Rob Dibble (1-4). Gant, who had a grand slam Tuesday night, has driven in 15 runs in his last four games.

“I feel like this is the biggest one of my career,” Gant said. “It helped us come back from four runs down and gives us a cushion in the race.

“I know the Giants had to be watching, and to see us snatch this win puts a lot of pressure on them.”

Ryan Klesko hit a two-run homer off Johnny Ruffin with one out in the ninth to make it 6-4. Jeff Reardon came on for the Reds and gave up a double to Otis Nixon and a single to Jeff Blauser to bring on Dibble.

Chicago 3, San Francisco 1-- Mike Morgan gave up three hits in eight-plus innings, and Sammy Sosa became the first Cub to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases.

The Giants finished their home stand 1-8 and have lost 15 of their last 21 games, including the last three to the Cubs.

“I’ve never been on a team, a good team, that has as many problems,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said. “Everything we try, it seems like it doesn’t work. We’re just going bad.”

Salomon Torres (2-2) gave up three runs, two earned, in six innings. He struck out five and walked three but got no support and left trailing, 3-0.

Philadelphia 6, New York 3--Kevin Stocker scored from first base on a single, capping a three-run burst in the eighth inning as the Phillies won at New York.

The first-place Phillies won for the fourth time in 10 games and increased their NL East lead to 5 1/2 games over the Montreal Expos. Montreal, which had won 16 of 17 games, lost at St. Louis, 5-4.

The Phillies are off today and start a three-game series Friday night at Montreal. The Expos play tonight at St. Louis.

Ricky Jordan’s sacrifice fly in the eighth put Philadelphia ahead, 4-3, but it was Stocker’s hustle later in the inning that motivated the Phillies.

Stocker was on first base and Milt Thompson on second when Lenny Dykstra lined a single to right center. Stocker, running on the pitch, never broke stride. Second baseman Jeff Kent got the relay, but didn’t throw as Stocker slid home.

St. Louis 5, Montreal 4--Bernard Gilkey’s two-out single in the ninth snapped a 4-4 tie as the Cardinals ended the Expos eight-game winning streak.

With one out in the ninth, Brian Barnes (2-6) walked Gregg Jefferies on four pitches. Barnes had Jefferies picked off, but he stole second when first baseman Randy Ready’s throw to second was wide. After Todd Zeile grounded out, Mark Whiten was intentionally walked before Gilkey singled to center on a 3-and-0 pitch from Jeff Shaw.

Pittsburgh 8, Florida 1--Pirate rookie pitcher Steve Cooke continued his mastery over the Marlins, giving up five hits over 7 2/3 innings at Miami.

Cooke (10-8) has won five of his last six decisions and has given up four runs in 22 2/3 innings in three starts against Florida.

Colorado 6, Houston 4--Charlie Hayes hit a club-record three doubles and Andres Galarraga drove in three runs at Denver as the Rockies won their third game in a row.

Luis Gonzalez went four for four and had two RBIs, giving the Astros a 4-2 lead before Colorado scored three runs in the seventh.