BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Giants Win Behind Rookie, 5-3

For a kid from Tennessee, William VanLandingham does a pretty good California-cool impression.

Backed by Matt Williams’ National League-leading 18th homer, VanLandingham won his first major league start by outpitching Andy Benes as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Padres, 5-3, Thursday at San Diego.

The 23-year-old right-hander was impressive, especially considering that he was called up from double-A Shreveport only eight days earlier.

“He doesn’t act like a kid,” catcher Jeff Reed said. “He acts poised out there. He doesn’t get all excited easily. Most guys from triple-A, their first time they aren’t that impressive. When you bring a guy all the way up from double-A, that’s damn good.”

Starting in place of injured Bill Swift, VanLandingham (1-0) gave up two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings, struck out five and walked three.

Pittsburgh 11, New York 10--The Pirates got eight gift runs as a result of three infield errors by the Mets, then rallied on Lance Parrish’s game-winning single in the 13th inning at Pittsburgh.

Kevin Young hit a game-tying sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, then doubled and scored on Parrish’s line-drive single.

Frank Seminara (0-1), the Mets’ seventh pitcher, needed only three pitches to two batters to get the loss. Alejandro Pena (2-1) pitched four innings of hitless relief for the victory as the Pirates won for the third time in 13 games.

Cincinnati 14, Colorado 4--John Roper won his third consecutive start against the Rockies and triggered an eight-run second inning with a bases-loaded single at Denver as the Reds ended a five-game losing streak.

Roper, making his second start since being recalled from triple-A Indianapolis, limited the Rockies to four runs and five hits in seven innings as the Reds built a 14-2 lead.

Cincinnati scored twice in the first inning against Greg Harris (2-4) and sent 12 men to the plate in the second, with the first eight batters reaching base. The Reds scored five runs before making an out in the inning.

Houston 8, Atlanta 5--Ken Caminiti had three doubles and scored the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning as the Astros won at Atlanta.

Caminiti, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games, doubled off the center-field fence in the eighth, the first of four consecutive hits against Mike Stanton (1-1). Kevin Bass singled off Stanton’s glove as Caminiti took third, and Tony Eusebio’s single gave Houston a 5-4 lead.

Andujar Cedeno followed with an RBI single that chased Stanton. Steve Finley and Craig Biggio hit run-scoring singles with two out against Milt Hill.

Greg Swindell (5-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in seven innings, beating Atlanta for the first time after three losses.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Kansas City 3, Texas 1--Felix Jose broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double, and the Royals came from behind at Kansas City.

Roger Pavlik, who began the game with an 0-2 record and a 20.25 earned-run average, shut out the Royals on nine hits through six innings, but was replaced by Rick Honeycutt (0-2) after Brian McRae singled leading off the seventh. Wally Joyner singled and David Howard walked before Mike Macfarlane and Cris Carpenter drove in the final runs.

Boston 13, Cleveland 5--Damon Berryhill homered and doubled as the Red Sox scored eight runs in the second inning at Boston.

Boston, which had eight doubles, matched its biggest inning this season. The Red Sox, who have won 13 of 16 at home, had a season-high 17 hits and stopped Cleveland’s five-game winning streak in Fenway Park.