NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Castilla Showing He Belongs With Rockies

This is what expansion is all about.

Vinny Castilla, buried in the Atlanta Brave organization and therefore available when the Colorado Rockies were being formed, is finally getting a chance to play in the big leagues.

He’s making the most of it.

Castilla had two hits and two runs batted in Thursday night in the Rockies’ 5-3 victory at Chicago.

During his seven-game hitting streak, Castilla has eight RBIs and eight runs and has moved into a tie with Dante Bichette for the club lead with 30 RBIs.

“I feel great. This is the first time I’m getting a chance to play every day,” Castilla said. “It’s a great opportunity to establish myself in the big leagues.

“In the beginning of the year, I felt a little bit of pressure, but now I feel comfortable.”

The victory was the Rockies’ seventh in their last eight games. The Cubs dropped their fourth in a row and seventh of 10.

Kevin Ritz (4-1) tied the Rockies’ record and matched his personal best with nine strikeouts in seven innings.

Jason Bates hit his sixth homer, against Chicago starter Kevin Foster (4-3), for a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Bichette, who later doubled to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, walked. Larry Walker singled, and both runners advanced when right fielder Sammy Sosa bobbled the ball. Castilla’s double made it 3-0.

Cincinnati 6, Houston 3--Hal Morris’ sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh inning at Houston, and Tim Pugh won his fourth in a row for the Reds.

Cincinnati dodged major trouble when shortstop Barry Larkin left the game in the third inning after being struck in the right hand by a pitch from Darryl Kile (2-5). Larkin’s X-rays were negative but three stitches were needed to close a cut on his thumb.

The Reds are already missing outfielder Deion Sanders and pitcher Jose Rijo because of injuries.

“It was a huge scare,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “I was afraid he’d come up with a fracture. But it looks like it’s just a few stitches and a bad bruise. It might be up to a week [until Larkin can play again]. It depends on how long it takes to close up and get the soreness out.”

Pugh (4-0) pitched six innings, giving up six hits and striking out one. He hasn’t lost since May 27, 1994, to the New York Mets.

Florida 7, Pittsburgh 3--Kurt Abbott and Greg Colbrunn each went three for four with a home run, and the Marlins won at home for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Florida trailed, 3-2, in the third inning when Gary Sheffield and Terry Pendleton singled with two out. Colbrunn’s bouncer up the middle was smothered by second baseman Carlos Garcia, who threw wildly past third base in an attempt to get Sheffield. The error allowed Sheffield to score, and everyone moved up a base. Abbott delivered a two-run single for a 5-3 lead.

The loss was the Pirates’ sixth in their last seven games.

New York 9, San Francisco 6--Trevor Wilson (3-3) had the shortest outing of his career, one-third of an inning, but Dave Mlicki (4-1) had his longest, 7 1/3 innings, and both were largely the result of the Mets’ seven-run first inning.

Flush with the lead, Mlicki pitched pressure-free, giving up five runs and eight hits, including home runs by Barry Bonds and Mark Carreon.