NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mercker Gets Braves Back on Track

Atlanta starter Kent Mercker was intent on giving the Braves’ bullpen a little rest Monday night at Atlanta.

He didn’t get the complete game he wanted, but he did go 7 1/3 strong innings as the Braves snapped a two-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the New York Mets.

“I think the bullpen needed a break after the last two days,” Mercker said, referring to the Braves being outscored, 28-4, by Cincinnati on Saturday and Sunday.

“I’m happy with the way I threw,” Mercker said. “I don’t look at the pitch count. I just try to get the hitters out.”

Mercker (6-1) gave up three runs and four hits, struck out nine and walked one in improving to 4-0 in his career against the Mets. He left with one out in the eighth after giving up a leadoff homer to Tim Bogar.

“To be honest with you I didn’t feel tired,” said Mercker, who threw 126 pitches--91 for strikes. “I didn’t feel hot. The ball got up the last couple of innings.”

David Justice hit a three-run homer in the fourth, his 11th homer, to erase a 2-0 Met lead.

The Mets’ Bobby Jones (7-6) gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings. It was his first setback on the road this year, after going 4-0 in five previous starts.

The umpires worked the game in shorts and T-shirts because their equipment had not arrived from St. Louis, where they worked a game on Sunday.

Montreal 8, St. Louis 4--Larry Walker and Wil Cordero each had four hits and homered in a five-run seventh inning as the Expos rallied to win at St. Louis.

Walker led off the seventh with his 10th homer off Rob Murphy (2-3) to tie the score 4-4. One out later, Cordero hit his seventh homer into the left-field seats.

The Expos, who have hit 26 home runs in June, got 18 hits in ending a three-game losing streak. They also sent the Cardinals to their sixth loss in seven games, knocking them below .500 for only the second time all season.

Cordero, who had the second four-hit game of his career, is 17 for 29 in the last seven games.

Expo starter Pedro Martinez lasted five innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. He struck out six but hit two batters, his league-leading ninth and 10th.

Cardinal starter Rick Sutcliffe labored through 5 2/3 innings, throwing 101 pitches and giving up three runs--two earned--and nine hits.

Houston 5, Colorado 4--Jeff Bagwell and Scott Servais hit two-run homers for the Astros, helping Doug Drabek post his 10th victory in a game twice delayed by rain.

The Astros won at Denver for the first time in eight tries.

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At Pittsburgh, the Pirates were leading 3-1 with none out in the top of the fifth inning when the game was called because of rain. It will be made up as part of a Sept. 23 doubleheader.