DeShields Saves Best for Last, 7-5 : Baseball: Only his second home run of the season comes with two out in the ninth and gives the Dodgers a 7-5 victory over the Astros--and another day of grace atop the NL West.

Delino DeShields hit a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning to give the Dodgers a 7-5 victory over the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

The comeback, after rookie Ismael Valdes balked home the go-ahead run in the top of the inning, enabled the Dodgers to stay on top in the National League West for the 69th consecutive day.

The Dodgers, in addition to the balk, had to overcome Jeff Bagwell’s 35th home run and some sharp pitching by Shane Reynolds to hang onto the top spot.

It was a bizarre affair all around. While the second-best home run hitter in the league produced the power for the Astros, it was two of the lighter hitters who produced for the Dodgers.

Brett Butler’s eighth home run, in the third inning, was one of the few balls the Dodgers hit hard until the ninth inning.

In fact, they rallied for three runs in a weird seventh inning in which a popup dropped untouched near second base, and the three Dodger hits wouldn’t have added up to one drive to the wall.

But while the Astros fell out of first in the Central Division, the staggering Dodgers remained in first place with only their fourth victory in the last 14 games.

Valdes (2-0) shuffled his feet for the balk that let pinch-runner James Mouton score the go-ahead run, but the rookie wound up the winner.

Dave Hansen singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth against the Astros’ bullpen ace, John Hudek, but there were two out when Butler coaxed a walk to put the tying run in scoring position.

DeShields, who had one home run in his 271 at-bats this season, then drove a 2-and-1 pitch into the bleachers in right field.

Reynolds certainly deserved better than a no-decision in only his second start after moving into the rotation last week.

In his first start last Saturday, the big right-hander struck out 11 as he beat Pittsburgh, 11-0, in his first complete game.

He was almost as impressive against the Dodgers until the seventh. Except for Butler’s homer in the third, which ended Reynolds’ scoreless string at 18 innings, he seemed to be in command.

When Eric Karros singled to open the seventh, it was only the fourth hit against Reynolds and he was holding a 4-1 lead.

But his next pitch probably finished Reynolds, through no fault of his own.

Henry Rodriguez hit a towering popup and shortstop Andujar Cedeno, the weak link in an otherwise solid defense, seemed to be moving in under it. Suddenly he ducked away, the ball dropped about 10 feet from second base, bounced high and the Dodgers had two runners on for the first time.

Reynolds, who walked none in his shutout victory, hadn’t even reached a three-ball count in this one. But he walked Raul Mondesi to fill the bases and departed in favor of Todd Jones.

A looping single by Chris Gwynn, a groundout and Butler’s infield hit then brought the punchless Dodgers even.

* HOT ON THE TRAIL

The San Francisco Giants, winners of 15 of their last 19 games, moved into second place with an 8-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies. C8