NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Breath of Fresh Air for Phillies in Victory

The Philadelphia wind was blowing out, and everybody noticed it quickly.

“In [batting practice] we could tell by the conditions that it would be an airport here tonight,” Phillie shortstop Kevin Elster said Friday night after going three for three, scoring four runs, driving in four and hitting his first home run in three days short of four years in a 16-8 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

The game featured a Veterans Stadium-record nine home runs.

Elster’s package was accomplished after he came into the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter.

“I won’t forget this one for a while,” Elster said.

“It’s been some time since I hit a home run. In fact it’s probably been some time since I had a two-hit game.”

Barry Bonds and Robby Thompson each homered twice for the Giants.

Mark Whiten, Charlie Hayes and Kevin Flora, acquired in the trade that sent Dave Gallagher to the Angels, added two-run shots for Philadelphia.

Giant starting pitcher Terry Mulholland hit his first homer in the majors.

Michael Mimbs (8-5), the third of seven Phillies pitchers, was the winner.

Mulholland, who has not won since May 5, was staked to a 6-1 lead before the Phillies chased him with a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by Whiten’s homer into the upper deck.

“Things looked pretty good then the sky fell out,” Giant Manager Dusty Baker said.

“We gave Mulholland every opportunity until the game was in jeopardy. As it turned out, we were in more jeopardy. Everybody is pretty frustrated now. We want to take out our frustration tomorrow.”

St. Louis 4, Atlanta 3--Tom Henke became the seventh pitcher to reach 300 saves, surviving a rally by the Braves in the ninth inning of the Cardinal victory in St. Louis.

After walking in a run in the eighth, Henke gave up a double and two walks and threw a wild pitch that reduced the lead to 4-3 in the ninth. But he struck out Chipper Jones and got Fred McGriff to fly out to end St. Louis’ six-game losing streak.

It was Henke’s 25th save in 26 opportunities. He joined Lee Smith, Bruce Sutter, Jeff Reardon, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage and Dennis Eckersley among relievers with 300 saves.

Pittsburgh 13-7, Florida 7-6--Nelson Liriano hit his first grand slam in 1,813 major league at-bats, leading the Pirates to a victory in the first game of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh.

Al Martin singled home Kevin Young in the 13th inning of the second game to give the Pirates a sweep.

In the first game, Paul Wagner (2-11) won for the first time since May 26. He gave up one run in five innings in his first relief appearance since he was demoted to the bullpen Tuesday.

Montreal 7, San Diego 3--Sean Berry, Mike Lansing and David Segui each drove in two runs for the Expos, who won at Montreal, running their record there against San Diego to 15-1 since July 1992.

Jeff Fassero (12-9) pitched the Expos to their eighth victory in 10 games. He is 6-1 lifetime against the Padres.

Cincinnati 8, Houston 3--Ron Gant keyed a three-run fifth inning with his 25th homer at Cincinnati to lead the Reds, who are 8-0 against Houston, exactly the lead they hold over the Astros in the NL Central.

Cincinnati has won only five of its last 11 games, but the Astros have won only three of 11.