NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Saberhagen’s Arm, Bat Defeat Reeling Reds, 4-3

Bret Saberhagen showed he has recovered from back spasms by pitching eight strong innings Friday night as the New York Mets scored a 4-3 victory over the struggling Cincinnati Reds.

Saberhagen also doubled and scored the winning run on Jose Vizcaino’s seventh-inning single to break the Mets’ three-game losing streak. Cincinnati, which fell out of first place in the National League’s Central Division, has lost 10 of its last 13 games.

Saberhagen (6-2) had to leave a game on May 25 because of spasms in his lower back and missed his next turn in the rotation. Friday, he gave up seven hits, including solo home runs to Kevin Mitchell and Hal Morris, and struck out nine.

John Franco pitched the ninth for his 13th save.

John Smiley (4-7) lost his fifth straight start by yielding a go-ahead run three times in the back-and-forth game. The left-hander allowed eight hits and two walks in seven innings.

Saberhagen hit his ground-rule double with two out in the seventh, and he came home on Vizcaino’s single up the middle.

Florida 5, San Diego 1--Pat Rapp allowed only five hits in 8 1/3 innings and Jeff Conine drove in three runs at Miami to snap the Padres’ winning streak at a season-high six games.

Rapp (4-1) lost a bid for his first career shutout and second complete game in the ninth. Craig Shipley reached base on an error, stole second, took third on a grounder and scored on Phil Plantier’s single. Robb Nen finished for the Marlins.

Houston 4, Philadelphia 2--Ken Caminiti had a pair of run-scoring singles, Jeff Bagwell homered and Brian Williams pitched seven innings at Houston as the Astros moved into first place in the Central Division by a full game over the Reds.

Williams (2-2) improved to 4-0 in his career against the Phillies, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out six and walking one. John Hudek worked the ninth for his seventh save.

David West (1-5) lasted five innings for the Phillies, yielding three runs on three hits.

Montreal 3, Chicago 1--Randy Milligan hasn’t second-guessed Montreal Manager Felipe Alou’s limited role for him so far this season. His latest performance, however, might cause Alou to re-think the matter.

Milligan, primarily used as a pinch-hitter against left-handed pitchers, faced right-hander Chuck Crim in the eighth inning and came through with a first-pitch home run that beat the Cubs.

“The first thing I could see and hit I would swing at,” Milligan said after his first homer of the season also scored Larry Walker to give the Expos a 2-1 lead.

Walker had drawn a walk from Dan Plesac. After the second out, Milligan batted for Cliff Floyd, bringing Crim (2-1) on to pitch.

St. Louis 3, San Francisco 1--Ozzie Smith hit a home run and drove in two runs, and Allen Watson worked 6 1/3 innings at St. Louis to win for the first time since April 19 as the Giants lost their fourth straight game and 11th in their last 15.

Smith went three for four, including a run-scoring single in the third and his third homer in the seventh off Bryan Hickerson (2-5).

Watson (3-3), who had been threatened with demotion to the bullpen, allowed only four hits.

Colorado 6, Pittsburgh 4--Dante Bichette had a two-run homer and a pair of doubles, and Marvin Freeman pitched seven shutout innings at Denver as the Rockies won their fourth straight game.

The loss was the fifth in a row for the Pirates.