NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cubs Pull Out Graceful Victory in 11th, 9-8

Mark Grace envisioned things going from bad to worse for the Chicago Cubs, so he did something to make it better.

Grace led off the 11th inning with his second home run of the game Thursday to give the Cubs a 9-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“If we fall behind, we might not win another game all year,� Grace said. “That’s the way it’s been going for us.

“(Bill) Landrum doesn’t give up many home runs, but today he made a bad pitch.�

It was the second two-homer game for Grace, who hadn’t homered since June 16. Grace’s other two-homer game was on Aug. 19, 1989, at Houston.

Grace’s sixth homer of the season came off Landrum (1-1) on an 0-and-2 pitch, wasting a comeback by the Pirates from an 8-2 deficit.

Pittsburgh scored five runs in the eighth, four on Orlando Merced’s grand slam, and tied the score, 8-8, on Barry Bonds’ run-scoring double in the ninth.

Chuck McElroy (5-0), the fifth Cub pitcher, gave up one hit in 1 1/3 innings for the victory.

Greg Maddux, who hasn’t won since June 6, was chased in the eighth inning when the Pirates scored five runs. The Pirates scored 36 runs in splitting the four-game series.

Andre Dawson and George Bell also homered for the Cubs, and Bonds connected for the Pirates.

Philadelphia 7, St. Louis 1--Dale Murphy hit his 390th career home run and Terry Mulholland ended his five-game losing streak as the Phillies trounced the Cardinals at Philadelphia.

Murphy passed Johnny Bench and tied Graig Nettles for 25th place on the all-time home run list. Murphy drove in three runs and Ricky Jordan also homered as the Phillies avoided a four-game sweep after losing their previous seven games with St. Louis.

Mulholland (6-7) struck out a career-high 11 and gave up five hits in his first complete game since Sept. 30. He had not lasted more than 4 1/3 innings in four of his past five starts.

Bob Tewksbury (6-5) lost his third consecutive decision, giving up five runs in four innings.

The Cardinals scored in the seventh on Pedro Guerrero’s double and Tom Pagnozzi’s sacrifice fly.

Cincinnati 10, Atlanta 4--Bill Doran led off the game with a home run and Joe Oliver homered and doubled twice as the Reds routed the Braves at Atlanta in a game called after seven innings because of rain.

The Reds got 14 hits, seven for extra bases. Cincinnati has won eight of 10 games, and has hit at least two home runs in nine of its past 11.

Rookie Kip Gross (2-0), making his first major league start, gave up six hits and four runs in six innings. He struck out five and walked one.

New York 5, Montreal 1--Wally Whitehurst pitched eight strong innings at Montreal as the Mets handed the Expos their 11th consecutive defeat.

Montreal’s losing streak is the longest in the majors this season. The Mets beat the Expos for the ninth consecutive time and lead the season series, 12-2.

Howard Johnson’s run-scoring single in the eighth gave the Mets a 2-1 lead. Gregg Jefferies, batting for Whitehurst in the ninth, hit a two-run homer. Another run scored on an error by Montreal reliever Barry Jones.

Whitehurst (5-4) won for the third time in four starts. He gave up one run on four hits, struck out seven and walked one.

Houston 14, San Francisco 6--Ken Caminiti and Casey Candaele each homered and drove in four runs as the Astros completed their first sweep of the Giants at San Francisco since 1972.

The last-place Astros outscored San Francisco, 31-10, in the three games. Kevin Mitchell, Terry Kennedy and Matt Williams homered for the Giants.

Darryl Kile (3-2) won his third straight start. He gave up three runs on nine hits in seven innings, and struck out six.