NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : For at Least a Night, Marlins Are a Big Hit

The weakest link in Florida’s batting order played the biggest role in the biggest offensive night in Marlin history.

Charles Johnson drove in six runs against the Reds Friday night as the Marlins set a club record with a 16-4 victory at Cincinnati.

Johnson singled, doubled twice and hit one of Florida’s three homers while matching the club record for RBIs in a game. The rookie catcher entered the game with just 10 RBIs in 44 games, a .143 average and in a one-for-17 slump on the Marlins’ road trip.

Terry Pendleton and Andre Dawson added homers in the Reds’ most lopsided loss in two seasons.

Red starter Kevin Jarvis walked four and gave up eight hits and seven runs over 4 1/3 innings and it didn’t improve when three relievers gave up nine more runs, including seven in the sixth inning.

John Burkett (5-6) got the victory.

St. Louis 7, Philadelphia 1--Mike Morgan (3-2) gave up nine hits and came within two outs of his 11th career shutout as the Cardinals ended the Phillies’ six-game winning streak with a victory at St. Louis.

Ray Lankford, who entered the game in a one-for-21 slump, homered, singled, walked twice and scored three times to lead St. Louis’ 10-hit attack.

Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 0--Denny Neagle (8-3) pitched a two-hitter to become the NL’s first eight-game winner as the Pirates won at Montreal.

Pedro Martinez (5-4) lost his third in a row.

Mark Johnson and Nelson Liriano drove in the only runs.

New York 9, Atlanta 3--Light-hitting Tim Bogar drove in four runs, three on a seventh-inning homer that broke the game’s final tie at Atlanta, and the Mets snapped a four-game losing streak.

Bogar connected off Kent Mercker (4-4) in a five-run seventh.

Bret Saberhagen (4-2) earned his third consecutive victory and second complete game of the season.

San Diego 3, Colorado 2--Andy Ashby pitched eight strong innings and the Padres moved within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Rockies at San Diego.

Ashby (4-4), acquired from Colorado in a five-player trade in 1993, gave up one run and seven hits, striking out eight and walking none. Trevor Hoffman earned his 10th save.

Houston 3, Chicago 2--Derek Bell’s RBI single in the 12th inning at Houston gave the Astros the victory as they snapped their seven-game home losing streak.

Todd Jones (4-1) gave up one hit over two innings and struck out five and walked three.