BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Gwynn Leads Padres, Boosts Average to .362

Tony Gwynn, vying for his second consecutive National League batting title, helped his cause with a perfect day at the plate as the Padres defeated the Houston Astros, 5-1, Monday at San Diego.

Gwynn went three for three, singling in runs in the third, fifth and seventh innings to increase his batting average to a major league-leading .362.

Gwynn, 35, won his fifth NL batting title last year with a career-best .394 average.

He has 64 runs batted in, eight shy of his career-best of 72 in 1990.

Andy Ashby (7-5) gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked four for his fifth victory in nine starts.

Darryl Kile (4-11) lost for the sixth time in eight starts.

Colorado 3, Montreal 2--Dante Bichette drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and Vinny Castilla homered as the Rockies won at Montreal.

Armando Reynoso (3-3) gave up a run on five hits in six innings to end a personal three-game losing streak. He struck out two and walked two.

Darren Holmes got his 12th save despite throwing a wild pitch to score a run in the ninth.

New York 4, Pittsburgh 1--Rico Brogna hit a two-run homer as the Mets won at New York.

Bill Pulsipher (3-5) pitched his second complete game, giving up nine hits, striking out six and walking none.

Toronto 6, Baltimore 3--Pat Hentgen pitched eight strong innings and the Blue Jays handed Jamie Moyer his first loss in nearly six weeks, chasing the Orioles’ left-hander in the sixth inning at Baltimore.

Lance Parrish and Devon White each had two RBIs to help the Blue Jays to their fifth victory in six games.

Cal Ripken homered twice and drove in three runs for the Orioles.

Hentgen (8-8) gave up five hits, struck out two and walked four.

Chicago 6, Kansas City 4--Ron Karkovice’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run sixth inning as the White Sox won at Kansas City.