NATIONAL LEAGUE : Drabek Now Paying Dividends for Astros

Maybe the thrill and the pressure that accompany a big free-agent contract have worn off. Maybe he has simply gotten comfortable pitching indoors. Maybe he has developed a liking for barbecue.

Doug Drabek doesn’t know why he’s winning again after his 9-18 record last year, his first at Houston after a long career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“For some reason, I’ve been a lot smoother and more consistent,” Drabek said Friday night after his four-hitter led the Astros past the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, at Houston.

Drabek (5-1) won his fifth consecutive decision. He gave up homers by Andres Galarraga in the second inning and Ellis Burks in the seventh.

“I’ve been able to use all my pitches more effectively,” Drabek said. “I feel a lot more like I did the year before last, and that’s a great feeling.”

Jeff Bagwell, the NL leader in RBIs with 37, homered into the fourth of five decks off Marvin Freeman (3-1) in the seventh inning for a 3-2 lead.

“We got right back in it at 2-2 and then I go out there and throw it right down the middle,” Freeman said of Bagwell’s homer. “I deserve to lose.”

Drabek deserved to win, said Colorado Manager Don Baylor. “He’s not the pitcher he was last year. He throws a lot more fastballs and moves it around. Last year guys sat on his breaking ball. They couldn’t do that tonight.”

Philadelphia 12, Pittsburgh 1--Mariano Duncan drove in four runs at Philadelphia and Danny Jackson (5-0) won his fifth consecutive decision.

Lenny Dykstra went four for four--giving him seven hits in two nights--and scored four runs as the Phillies won for only the third time in 10 games.

Montreal 9, St. Louis 1--Mike Lansing went four for five with two doubles and a home run for the Expos at Montreal.

Jeff Fassero (3-2) gave up three hits in six innings and John Wetteland got four outs for only his second save in six chances.

Ozzie Smith homered in the fourth inning, his first home run since May 30, 1993.

Atlanta 7, New York 2--Tom Glavine (4-3) gave up three hits in 7 2/3 innings at New York as the Braves stretched their winning streak to four games.

San Francisco 9, Cincinnati 5--Barry Bonds hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, and Willie McGee hit an inside-the-park homer and drove in three runs for the Giants at San Francisco.

The Giants scored four unearned runs in the second inning, taking a 5-1 lead after a throwing error by third baseman Lenny Harris on Todd Benzinger’s grounder. Cincinnati made four errors in all--two by Harris--leading to six unearned runs.

Chicago 6, Florida 4--Mark Grace’s two-run single sparked a five-run seventh inning, and Willie Banks (3-4) pitched a strong game for the Cubs, who won at home.

Grace’s bases-loaded hit off reliever Yorkis Perez scored Tuffy Rhodes and Shawon Dunston to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead. Derrick May followed with a run-scoring single before Grace scored on a wild pitch by Richie Lewis, and Rey Sanchez added a run-scoring hit.