Dunston Haunts Former Team

San Francisco pinch-hitter Shawon Dunston singled home the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning against his former team as the Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, Saturday at Candlestick Park.

Dunston, who played 11 seasons for the Cubs before moving to the Giants as a free agent in January, was hugged and put on the shoulders of teammates after his hit off Rodney Myers.

“I’m happy first of all because we won the game, but it also had a lot to do with the Cubs,” said Dunston, who did not start the game because of a slightly strained left groin. “It feels good.”

After the game-winner, Barry Bonds put Dunston atop his shoulders and Matt Williams hugged him. Former teammate Mark Grace, who walked slowly away from the Giants’ celebration toward the Cubs’ dugout, had mixed feelings.

“I’m happy for Shawon, but I’m not happy for the Giants,” Grace said. “He wasn’t the guy I wanted to be coming up then. I hate to see him beat us, but it didn’t surprise me. He’s had a lot of clutch hits over the years.”

Pittsburgh 9, Montreal 3--Paul Wagner, still unscored upon this season, pitched seven shutout innings and the Pirates avoided their worst start at home this century by beating the Expos at Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh hit four home runs as the Pirates avoided their first 0-5 start at home in the 1900s. Wagner retired the first 10 batters and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to extend his season-long scoreless streak to 16 1/3 innings.

“Before, he was just a kid throwing the ball to the plate. He’s a pitcher now, even the way he looks on the mound,” Montreal Manager Felipe Alou said about Wagner. “He’s a major league pitcher now. He used to throw a lot harder, but that didn’t do it for him.”

Wagner’s start is nearly a reversal of 1995, when he was 0-5 and 1-10 while leading the majors in losses with a 5-16 record.

Philadelphia 4, St. Louis 2--Jim Eisenreich’s bases-loaded single in the seventh inning sparked the Phillies to a come-from-behind victory over the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Trailing, 2-1, the Phillies loaded the bases with a walk and two singles. Eisenreich then singled off reliever Tony Fossas to drive in two runs and put Philadelphia ahead, 3-2.

Kevin Stocker added a run-scoring single for the Phillies in the eighth.

Cardinal starter Todd Stottlemyre had to leave the game after being struck on the left knee by a line drive by Lee Tinsley in the fifth inning. He gave up one run on two hits in five innings. X-rays of Stottlemyre’s knee were negative.

San Diego 6, Atlanta 2--Joey Hamilton won his third consecutive start as the Padres defeated the Braves at San Diego.

Tony Gwynn, who is batting .489, and Steve Finley each had three hits with two runs scored for the Padres, who are off to the best start in the National League at 8-3.