NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Ex-Goat Wins With a New One

After parading a good-luck goat around Wrigley Field, then ending a season-long losing streak there, it’s no surprise that Chicago Manager Tom Trebelhorn took one on the road to Pittsburgh.

It is a surprise that it wasn’t Anthony Young, who beat the Pirates, 10-1, Friday for his first victory as a starting pitcher since April 9, 1992.

Since then, he endured a major league-record 27-game losing streak, broken only by a victory last season in relief.

Unwilling to tempt fate after Wednesday’s victory at home, Trebelhorn included a plastic goat in his road gear. The Cubs hit five homers, including two each by Sammy Sosa and Glenallen Hill, among their 14 hits.

“We paid homage to the goat, and then we went out and played a good game,” Trebelhorn said. “You don’t count on getting five homers, but there weren’t any cheapies. They were way up there.”

Young (1-2) had it easy after a seven-run third inning, when Sosa and Ryne Sandberg hit consecutive homers and Hill followed Mark Grace’s single with the 11th upper-deck homer in the 24-year history of Three Rivers Stadium.

Hill’s shot was estimated at 457 feet.

Pirate Manager Jim Leyland aired out his clubhouse. Much of his displeasure was directed at starting pitcher Denny Neagle (2-4), who gave up three homers in a four-batter stretch of the third.

“He chewed us pretty good,” Neagle said. “Everyone needs chewing out sooner or later, and I certainly did.”

St. Louis 3, New York 2--John Franco walked four in the ninth inning, forcing home the tying and winning runs as the Cardinals rallied at St. Louis.

With the Mets leading, 2-1, Franco (0-2) walked Todd Zeile with one out, and Mark Whiten singled with two out. Pinch-hitter Brian Jordan walked, loading the bases, and then Franco walked pinch-hitter Gerald Perry on a 3-and-2 pitch. Terry McGriff, another pinch-hitter, walked on a 3-and-1 pitch.

John Habyan (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth in relief of Bob Tewksbury, who had won his first six starts this season.

Atlanta 5, Montreal 0--Fred McGriff hit two home runs and Greg Maddux pitched a four-hitter for the Braves at Atlanta.

Maddux (5-2) had a no-hitter until Marquis Grissom lined a single to center field leading off the seventh inning. He lowered his league-leading earned-run average to 0.94 and struck out five in his third complete game this year.

Cincinnati 4, Houston 3--Tim Pugh overcame his erratic pitching with clutch hitting at Cincinnati, going two for two with a pivotal RBI single that rallied the Reds.

Pugh (3-1) and Astro starter Pete Harnisch (2-3) both struggled in a steady rain, with Pugh’s at-bats making up for his erratic 5 2/3 innings.

Kevin Mitchell added a solo homer off the facing of the upper deck in left field, his eighth.

Florida 9, Philadelphia 5--Dave Weathers won his fifth consecutive start and Charles Johnson homered and scored three runs in his major league debut for the Marlins at Miami.

Weathers (5-1) gave up four runs and 10 hits in six innings. He struck out one and walked three in helping the Marlins (16-13) move three games over .500 for the first time in franchise history.

Johnson was catching because Benito Santiago is injured and sitting out the second game of a four-game suspension.

San Diego 8, Colorado 0--Andy Benes pitched a four-hit shutout and Phil Plantier hit two home runs to lead the Padres at San Diego.

Benes (2-5) struck out 10 for the sixth shutout of his career and the first complete game by a Padre pitcher all season.

Plantier hit a bases-empty homer in the third and two-run shot in the eighth. Arci Cianfrocco added a solo homer and a sacrifice fly for the Padres, who have won four of their last five games.