NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Saberhagen Finishes What He Starts, 6-3

Bret Saberhagen finally went the distance and the New York Mets finally won a game.

Saberhagen pitched the first complete game of the season for the Mets, who snapped a six-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday at New York.

Saberhagen (1-1) showed no signs of the shoulder stiffness that forced him to leave his previous game May 19. He gave up seven hits, struck out five and walked one.

“The key was busting a lot of fastballs and then going to the changeup,” said Saberhagen, who lost his shutout in the ninth when Glenallen Hill hit a three-run homer. “That was my best off-speed pitch and the combination kept them off balance. . . . Today I felt fine right from the start.”

Giant Manager Dusty Baker said of Saberhagen: “I think he’s one of the great pitchers in baseball. It’s tough to give him that many runs, especially early.”

Saberhagen’s complete game victory was the 74th of his career and 10th as a Met.

Bobby Bonilla, back in the Mets’ lineup after sitting out three games because of a virus, hit a two-run homer in the third inning off Jose Bautista (1-1). Jeff Kent also homered in the inning off Bautista, who was then ejected by umpire Bill Hohn after hitting Kelly Stinnett in the back with a pitch.

Matt Williams went four for four for the Giants with a double and three singles.

Philadelphia 5, San Diego 4--Charlie Hayes drove in the winning run by singling over a drawn-in outfield in the 10th inning at Philadelphia, but the really good news for the Phillies was that reliever Norm Charlton escaped serious injury.

In the seventh inning, San Diego’s Steve Finley hit a line drive that caught Charlton in the forehead. Charlton stayed on the ground for about 30 seconds, was helped to his feet and walked off the field bleeding.

X-rays showed Charlton fractured his frontal sinus, but he was released from the hospital. The Phillies expect him to be in uniform today.

The victory was the Phillies’ eighth in 10 games, and 18th in their last 22.

Houston 3, Atlanta 2--James Mouton hit a solo homer in the 10th inning at Houston as the Astros ended a four-game losing streak.

Mouton’s homer made a winner of John Hudek (2-0), who pitched a perfect 10th.

Atlanta starter John Smoltz struck out 11 and took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning.

Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 2--Jose Rijo pitched shutout ball for seven innings at St. Louis and the Reds extended their winning streak to six games.

Rijo (3-2), who had a 6.55 ERA after his first four starts, has won three in a row since then while recording a 1.42 ERA. He gave up five hits, struck out five and walked three.

The Reds were one out away from a combined shutout when Brian Jordan hit a two-run single off Jeff Brantley in the ninth.

Pittsburgh 9, Colorado 4--The Pirates scored eight runs in the third inning and cruised to a victory at Pittsburgh. In the third, the Pirates had seven hits, three walks, an error and two wild pitches against Bill Swift (1-1) and reliever Roger Bailey. It was the Pirates’ biggest inning since they scored 11 runs against Cincinnati on May 4, 1992.

Swift had been 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four previous appearances against Pittsburgh.

Danny Neagle (4-1) won his fourth in a row, and the Pirates have won eight of 10.

Chicago 3, Florida 1--Howard Johnson, the first batter after a two-hour rain delay, hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning as the Cubs beat the Marlins at Chicago.

The victory went to Turk Wendell (1-0), who was activated from the disabled list before the game. Wendell, picking up his first victory since Oct. 3, 1993, pitched one inning of hitless relief.

Randy Myers pitched the ninth for his 11th save.