NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Wild Thing Has Wild Homecoming

Wild Thing was at it again Friday night.

This time, his team escaped the trouble he created. On the night of his return to Philadelphia, Mitch Williams hit a batter and walked another in the ninth inning, but the Houston Astros held on to beat the Phillies, 4-2.

Afterward, Williams, who has struggled this season after giving up the World Series-winning home run to Joe Carter last year, repeated his belief that the Astros are getting ready to release him.

“I think it’s time for Mitchy-poo to take it to the ranch,” he said, referring to his cattle ranch in Hico, Tex. “The way it looks, I’m not going to be here past Monday. . . . I just threw bad. I haven’t thrown good all year.”

Williams, traded to Houston on Dec. 2 after giving up the World Series-winning home run to Carter, was greeted by a standing ovation as he took the mound in the ninth.

He promptly walked Jim Eisenreich, then hit Mickey Morandini in the back before getting Kim Batiste to fly to left.

Houston Manager Terry Collins saw enough and brought in rookie John Hudek, prompting boos from the 41,013 in Veterans Stadium.

Hudek struck out pinch-hitter Wes Chamberlain, loaded the bases with a walk to Lenny Dykstra, then got Mariano Duncan on a game-ending popout to first for his fifth save.

Phillie Manager Jim Fregosi admitted it was a little weird watching Williams pitch into trouble in the ninth. “I’ve seen it many times before but I wasn’t thinking about Mitch,” Fregosi said. “I was thinking about the game.”

New York 10, Cincinnati 2--Pete Smith pitched an eight-hitter and Todd Hundley drove in three runs as the Mets beat the Reds at New York.

Smith (3-5), who lost five of his last six decisions, struck out four and didn’t allow a walk in his first complete game of the season.

Atlanta 7, Chicago 2--Greg Maddux won his eighth game and David Justice hit a two-run homer as the Braves battered Mike Morgan and beat the Cubs at Atlanta.

Maddux (8-2) gave up five hits, two runs, walked two and struck out seven in seven innings. He won his fourth consecutive decision and the Braves won for the fifth time in seven games.

Montreal 4, Colorado 2--Rookie Gabe White pitched six strong innings in his major league debut as the Expos defeated the Rockies at Montreal.

White, a 22-year-old left-hander recalled from the minors on Friday, gave up four hits and struck out six before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. He gave up one hit and a walk through 3 1/3 innings before Andres Galarraga hit his 17th homer.

San Francisco 4, Florida 3--The first grand slam of John Patterson’s career lifted the Giants to a victory at San Francisco.

Patterson’s grand slam off Dave Weathers (5-3) in the fifth inning brought the Giants back from a 1-0 deficit. Returning home from a 3-7 road trip, San Francisco won its third in a row.

San Diego 8, St. Louis 6--Phil Clark’s homer led a barrage of six extra-base hits in two innings by the normally light-hitting Padres, who handed Cardinal ace Bob Tewksbury his second loss this season at San Diego.

It was the worst outing of the year for Tewksbury (8-2).