NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cubs’ Banks Stymies the Phillies for 7 1/3 Innings

After pitching the first complete game and first shutout of his major league career against the Dodgers in his last outing, Willie Banks had a no-hitter for 7 1/3 innings in leading the Cubs over the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0, at Chicago on Monday.

Banks won his career-best fourth consecutive start. Trying to pitch the Cubs’ first no-hitter since Milt Pappas in 1972, Banks gave up a single to Kim Batiste with one out in the eighth.

“I’m starting to hit my spots, get my breaking ball over and mixing it up to keep the guys off balance,” he said.

Banks (6-4) gave up one hit, struck out six and walked three in eight innings. He was hit on the back of the hip by a pitch from reliever Bob Wells in the sixth, and left the game after the eighth because of tightness in his back.

Randy Myers completed the combined one-hitter, pitching the ninth for his 12th save.

Last Tuesday, Banks pitched a four-hitter against the Dodgers. The third pick overall in the 1987 draft, Banks pitched a no-hitter in the minors in 1989 for Visalia of the California League.

The Cubs won their seventh consecutive home game after starting the season 0-12 at Wrigley Field.

Atlanta 4, San Francisco 3--Jarvis Brown hit his first major league home run in the 11th inning to give the Braves a victory at San Francisco.

Brown had been hitless in seven at-bats since being called up from triple-A Richmond on May 4. Known for his speed and defense, he got into the game in the ninth as a pinch-runner for outfielder David Justice, and won it when he drove a one-out, one-and-two pitch from Rod Beck (1-3) into the left field bleachers.

Brown’s homer, in his 193rd at-bat in the majors, made a winner of Greg McMichael (2-2). McMichael retired Steve Scarsone with the bases loaded to end the 10th and pitched the 11th.

Roberto Kelly, in his first game for Atlanta since being traded by the Reds on Sunday for Deion Sanders, went one for four with a walk. He scored two runs and stole a base.

Cincinnati 7, Montreal 3--Jose Rijo struggled once again but finally got his 100th career victory with a lot of help at Cincinnati from his teammates, particularly Kevin Mitchell, who homered twice.

Rijo (3-3) escaped threat after threat to get No. 100 on his fourth attempt. He gave up six hits, walked four and hit a batter in six innings. The Expos stranded nine runners--six in scoring position.

Deion Sanders, acquired from Atlanta for Roberto Kelly on Sunday, went one for four in his debut with the Reds.

Mitchell, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth and a solo shot in the seventh, has three homers in his last five at-bats. He’s playing with a sore wrist and hip that sidelined him most of the last 10 days.

San Diego 10, Pittsburgh 2--Tony Gwynn homered and drove in a career-high five runs and Andy Ashby (1-5) pitched a four-hitter for the first complete game of his career as the Padres won at home. Craig Shipley hit a pinch grand slam to cap a seven-run seventh inning for the Padres, who snapped an eight-game home losing streak against the Pirates.

Houston 4, Florida 3--Craig Biggio, who was tagged out in a rundown in the eighth when he tried to stretch a single into a double, drove in two runs with a two-out single in the ninth at Houston.

Colorado 12, New York 2--The Rockies’ Andres Galarraga hit a grand slam, the fifth of his career and second of the season, as the Rockies pounded four Met pitchers at New York.