NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Zane Smith Holds Cardinals to One Hit Again

The St. Louis Cardinals returned to St. Louis this week the best hitting team in the National League.

They haven’t convinced the Pittsburgh pitching staff.

Zane Smith became the second Pirate pitcher in three games to stifle the Cardinals with one hit when he blanked them, 6-0, Wednesday night.

The least likely Cardinal hitter spoiled the no-hit bid of Smith (7-2). With one out in the third inning, Jose Oquendo, in an 0-for-30 slump, was credited with a triple when his short fly ball fell between second baseman Jose Lind and right fielder Mitch Webster, then skipped past center fielder Andy Van Slyke on the artificial turf.

“It’s a well-placed hit and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Smith said.

In Monday’s opener of the series swept by the Pirates, Doug Drabek, struggling all season, pitched a one-hitter.

Sunday in New York, the Cardinals pounded the Mets for 14 runs and 23 hits.

Barry Bonds doubled in a run in the fourth inning, then the Pirates jumped on Bryn Smith (4-3) for four in the fifth.

Atlanta 5, San Diego 1--Tom Glavine (8-2) pitched a seven-hitter at San Diego for his sixth victory in a row and took over the National League earned-run average lead at 1.99 as the Braves completed their first three-game series sweep in two years.

Terry Pendleton went three for five to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and David Justice ended a two-for-18 slump with an RBI double and opposite-field homer off Andy Benes (2-6).

San Francisco 6, Cincinnati 1-- Willie McGee drove in three runs with two singles and Matt Williams hit a wind-blown home run at San Francisco to lead the Giants to their second victory in a row over the Reds.

“We’re the same team we were (while losing 23 of 30),” Manager Roger Craig said. “We’re getting good pitching, timely hitting and playing defense. It makes it easy to manage.”

It wasn’t all good fortune, though. John Burkett had to leave after five innings when Hal Morris, who homered in the third, smashed a drive off Burkett’s foot. It turned out to be only a bruise.

New York 8, Chicago 1--The Giants seem to be straightening out at home, but the Mets had to get out of New York to get going.

When last seen at Shea Stadium, the Mets were giving up those 14 runs and 23 hits to the Cardinals.

But Dave Magadan drove in three runs and David Cone (5-3) pitched a seven-hitter and the Mets completed a three-game sweep at Chicago.

The Mets are 13-8 on the road, but only 12-11 at home.

Philadelphia 2, Montreal 1--Charlie Hayes, who earlier ended an 0-for-31 slump, led off the eighth inning at Philadelphia with a home run to give the Phillies the victory.

Hayes’ fifth home run enabled Terry Mulholland to improve his record to 6-3.

In the fifth inning, Philadelphia’s Dale Murphy had a bloop single for his 2,000th career hit.