NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mets End Their Skid by Beating Pirates

As far as Bret Saberhagen was concerned, it was not a showcase outing.

Saberhagen, the subject of much trade talk, made his first start since July 15 and pitched eight scoreless innings before leaving with a no-decision Saturday in the Mets’ 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh at New York.

Pinch-hitter Chris Jones hit a home run to lead off the ninth inning as the Mets snapped a six-game losing streak.

“If I’m healthy . . . I want the ball,” said Saberhagen, who had missed three starts because of a bruised rib cage. “I’m tired of all the trade talk. My desire is to stay here. The front office keeps saying we’re rebuilding, but I’ve been listening to that for four years. How long can you go on like that?”

Saberhagen lost a chance for the decision when reliever John Franco, who lost Friday night’s game, allowed the Pirates to tie the score, 1-1, on Nelson Liriano’s run-scoring double over center fielder Brett Butler’s head.

Chicago 8, Philadelphia 7--Shawon Dunston’s two-out, three-run home run off Heathcliff Slocumb in the ninth inning led the Cubs at Chicago.

“I never dreamed I’d do it against my friend,” Dunston said of former teammate Slocumb. “I knew he would go right at me with a fastball. I was just trying to hit it hard, put it in play.”

The Phillies had rallied with three runs in the ninth off Cub closer Randy Myers. Dunston’s home run made a winner of Anthony Young (1-3), who got the last two outs of the ninth after Myers got into trouble.

Atlanta 5, San Francisco 1--Greg Maddux pitched a four-hitter and center fielder Marquis Grissom, who opened the game with a homer, saved two runs with an over-the-shoulder catch for the Braves at San Francisco.

Maddux (11-1), who pitched his sixth complete game, is 9-0 with a 1.18 earned run average over his last 13 starts, matching a career-best winning streak with the Cubs in 1988.

“It’s tough to sit here and say I should have pitched better when you get these results,” Maddux said. “I threw some good and some bad pitches. Luckily my bad pitches weren’t in the strike zone.”

The Braves have won 12 in a row over the Giants, including a 7-0 mark this year.

Florida 2, St. Louis 0--The Marlins blanked the Cardinals for the second consecutive night and extended St. Louis’ scoreless streak to 26 innings at Miami.

John Burkett and Robb Nen combined on a seven-hitter and the Marlins scored two unearned runs as a result of misplays by catcher Scott Hemond. Burkett (8-10) trying for his first shutout since 1993, gave up seven hits, struck out four and walked two.

Nen relieved with two on and one out in the ninth and got his eighth save. It was the 12th time this season St. Louis was shut out. Allen Watson (3-4) lost despite limiting Florida to five hits and no earned runs in six innings.

Colorado 5, Montreal 3--Andres Galarraga and Dante Bichette hit consecutive homers in the eighth inning to lead the Rockies at Montreal.

Galarraga’s 21st homer broke a 2-2 tie after Larry Walker singled to open the inning. Bichette hit the next pitch out for his 20th homer and his third in a row on the road. He began the year with 17 consecutive homers at home.

Bryan Rekar (3-0), unbeaten in three major league starts, gave up only four hits, struck out six and walked none in eight innings. Curtis Leskanic gave up a run in the ninth before Darren Holmes got the last out for his 12th save.

Houston 6, San Diego 1--Greg Swindell gave up seven hits in 7 2/3 innings and Derek Bell had his 31st run batted in of the month for the Astros at San Diego.

Tony Gwynn hit a solo home run in the first inning, but the Padres didn’t get a runner to third base after that. In winning his first game since July 2, Swindell (7-4) struck out five and walked one.

Bell, a former Padre, tied Jeff Bagwell’s club record for most RBIs in a month. Bagwell also has 31 this month.