NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Grissom Injured in Victory

The Expos came away with a 7-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday night at Montreal, but not all went well for the home team.

The Expos, who remained tied for first place in the NL East with the Pittsburgh Pirates, lost outfielder Marquis Grissom for an indefinite period with a hand injury.

Grissom, the major leagues’ leading base stealer, sustained a hairline fracture of his left hand when he was hit by a pitch from Cliff Brantley. Grissom was taken to the hospital for X-rays. A club spokesman said the Expos will find out today how long Grissom will be out of the lineup.

“Marquis is one of the premiere players in the game, and if he’s lost for a while, it will be a big blow,” said Expo outfielder Larry Walker, who hit his 18th homer.

Expo Manager Felipe Alou said he would put his son, Moises, in center field while Grissom recovers.

Even with Grissom gone, the Expos won for the eighth time in 10 games. Mark Gardner (10-8) allowed six hits, struck out four and walked two in 6 1/3 innings.

The Expos took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Grissom drew a walk from Greg Mathews (0-1) and scored on Walker’s homer.

Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez was shouting, “Balk,” as Mathews pitched to Walker. Walker swung anyway and hit the ball 390 feet.

“I know what the rule is,” Walker said. “You can swing at the pitch if you want. I’ve noticed most hitters just step out on a balk, but my concentration level was so high I didn’t step out. It’s a free hack, a free pitch.”

San Francisco 5, Atlanta 0--John Burkett pitched a four-hitter and Matt Williams had three hits and scored four times at San Francisco.

The Braves, who have lost four of five, are half a game ahead of second-place Cincinnati. The fourth-place Giants trail by 10.

Burkett (7-6) walked two, struck out three, and did not allow a runner past second base in posting his second career shutout and second complete game of the season. Burkett’s victory was only his second in 11 starts since May 27.

Charlie Leibrandt (8-4) pitched seven innings and lost for only the second time in 14 appearances since May 3.

Pittsburgh 4, St. Louis 0--Alex Cole’s two-run triple at Pittsburgh broke a scoreless tie in the seventh and gave Danny Jackson his first victory for the Pirates.

The Pirates, coming off a 2-7 trip that dropped them from a five-game lead over Montreal into a first-place tie with the Expos, won for the third time in 11 games.

Jackson (5-10), acquired by the Pirates from Chicago on July 10 for Steve Buechele, gave up eight hits in seven innings, lowering his earned-run average to 1.29 in three starts with the Pirates.

Bob Patterson pitched two innings for his seventh save as the Pirates recorded their 15th shutout.