NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Reds’ Gant Is Wrong Answer for Rockies

Don Baylor knows what it’s like on the horns of a dilemma. Two are out, but the winning run is on third base in the 10th inning. Pitch to Barry Larkin, the National League’s leading hitter at .418, who had driven in three Cincinnati runs on Saturday night?

Or pitch to Ron Gant, who had four runs batted in for the Reds?

“How many guys can you duck in that lineup?” Baylor, the Colorado Rockies’ manager, asked.

Not enough.

“Larkin is about the best hitter you can find,” Baylor said. “And considering the player [Gant] missed all of last year. . . . You just hope you get a force somewhere.”

No. Larkin was walked intentionally, and Gant singled to left field to drive in the run that beat Baylor and the Rockies, 10-9, at Cincinnati.

“I had my mind made up I was going to drive the ball somewhere,” said Gant. “In situations like that, my concentration is a lot better.”

Pitchers who let situations get like that drive managers crazy. Roger Bailey (2-1) walked .154-hitting Brian Hunter to start the inning, and he advanced on a sacrifice and an infield out.

“That’s the toughest thing to defend against--the base on balls,” Baylor said. “Seven out of 10 of their runs scored on base on balls.”

San Diego 9, Pittsburgh 6--Bip Roberts hit a grand slam with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning at San Diego for the Padres, who ended Pittsburgh’s winning streak at four games.

The Pirates’ Jim Gott (0-2) gave up one-out singles to Ken Caminiti and Andujar Cedeno and a walk to Roberto Petagine to load the bases, then walked Melvin Nieves to force in a run. Dan Miceli came on to get Brian Johnson to pop out, but Roberts hit the next pitch over the right-field fence for his first grand slam.

Fernando Valenzuela (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the victory for San Diego.

Houston 2, Montreal 1--Pinch-hitter Dave Magadan drew a bases-loaded walk from Expo reliever Jeff Shaw (0-3) with one out in the 10th inning, giving the Astros a victory at home.

Philadelphia 10, New York 8--Kevin Stocker drove in a career-high four runs at Philadelphia for the Phillies, who won for the 13th time in 16 games.

Philadelphia led, 10-3, but the Mets closed to 10-8 with four runs in the sixth, then hurt themselves when two runners were thrown out at home by left fielder Gregg Jefferies on consecutive plays.

Atlanta 8, Florida 7--Rookie Chipper Jones said he was only trying to get on base to let Fred McGriff drive him in, but his swing was a bit hard. He drove the ball 448 feet into the field-field seats with one out in the ninth inning at Atlanta for his sixth homer.

San Francisco 10, St. Louis 7--Royce Clayton broke out of a one-for-16 slump with a three-run double in the eighth inning, giving the Giants--who scored seven unearned runs--a victory at home.