NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Roberts’ Hit Parade Reaches 9 in Red Sweep

Bip Roberts got his ninth consecutive hit to draw within one of the NL record Tuesday as the Reds extended their winning streak to six games by sweeping a doubleheader against Houston at Cincinnati.

The Reds won the nightcap, 4-3, as Roberts went three for three with two doubles before leaving after seven innings because he aggravated an ankle injury. He did not play in the opener, a 6-3 Cincinnati victory.

The NL record of 10 consecutive hits has been accomplished six times since 1900, most recently by Woody Williams of the Reds in 1943. The major league record is 12 by Pinky Higgins of the Boston Red Sox in 1938 and Walt Dropo of the Detroit Tigers in 1952.

“It’s one of those things where everything I’m hitting is falling in right now,” said Roberts, who has raised his average from .308 to .320 with the streak. “At the plate now, the ball looks pretty big and when I hit it, there’s nobody standing there. You have to have a little luck.”

His luck came Monday. He flied out in his first at-bat, apparently ending the streak at six, but the game was postponed by rain after four innings, wiping out the at-bat.

He took advantage Tuesday by leading the Reds’ second-game offense. He doubled and scored in the first inning on Barry Larkin’s groundout, singled in his next at-bat, then doubled home Dave Martinez for a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Larkin followed with a double to score Roberts with the eventual winning run.

“Bip’s using the whole field to hit with, too,” Cincinnati Manager Lou Piniella said. “I notice he’s had hits off breaking balls, off straight change-ups, and off fastballs. It’s impressive.”

Jose Rijo was the pitching and hitting star of the first game. He singled home a pair of runs to break the game open and gave up three hits over six innings.

The Reds sent 10 batters to the plate for five runs in the fourth off Rich Scheid, who made his first major league start after four relief appearances.

Freddie Benavides doubled just inside third base with the bases loaded for a 2-0 lead, and Rijo singled up the middle through a drawn-in infield for two more runs. Chris Sabo’s sacrifice fly completed the surge.

The doubleheader was scheduled after Monday’s game was rained out with the Astros ahead, 5-3, in the top of the fifth. The start of the first game Tuesday was delayed 42 minutes by rain.

St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 4--Luis Alicea drove in three runs at Pittsburgh as the Cardinals ended a 13-game losing streak against the Pirates.

The loss means the Pirates could not take advantage of the Expos’ loss and can not clinch the East title during the two-game series in Montreal today and Thursday. Pittsburgh’s magic number for clinching the title remains at five.

“We’ve been their punching bag,” Cardinal Manager Joe Torre said. “Even though they haven’t knocked us out, it’s been a unanimous decision every time they beat us. They’re a good team and I wish them luck and I hope they get to the World Series. But I’m glad we beat them.”

Pinch-hitter Craig Wilson drove in the deciding run in the sixth inning as the Cardinals beat the Pirates for only the third time in 18 games this season.

Lee Smith, who was 0-3 with a 9.64 earned-run average in three appearances against the Pirates, finished for his 40th save, the second season in a row he reached the plateau.

“Sanity-wise, it was important to beat them,” Smith said. “It seems like I’ve always made decent pitches against them. It’s a positive note for next year, maybe.”

Barry Bonds, batting .542 in his last nine games, extended his hitting streak to 11 by doubling in the second.

Philadelphia 5, Montreal 2--Stan Javier drove in two runs as the Phillies won at Montreal and sent the Expos to their fourth consecutive loss.

Montreal fell 7 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh in the NL East.

Former Dodger Mike Hartley, Philadelphia’s third pitcher, worked three hitless innings for the victory. Starter Jose DeLeon left after three innings with a sprained right knee sustained in a collision at home plate.

Mitch Williams worked the ninth for his 26th save.

San Diego 2, San Francisco 1--Andy Benes matched his season high with 11 strikeouts and hit a run-scoring single at San Diego as the Padres ended a four-game losing streak.

Benes gave up a run and five hits in 7 2/3 innings, winning consecutive starts for the first time since May 22. Randy Myers finished with one-hit relief for his 36th save in 42 chances.

The paid attendance was only 6,601, the Padres’ lowest since Sept. 11, 1986, when they drew 6,187.

New York 8, Chicago 7--Dick Schofield’s bases-loaded single in the eighth inning drove in two runs and led the Mets at New York.

Ryan Thompson, acquired from Toronto in the David Cone trade on Aug. 27, had his first major league homer, a three-run blast that gave the Mets a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning.

When the Cubs tied the game, Thompson got a chance for another big hit when he came up with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. This time he struck out.

Lee Guetterman, who gave up one hit the final two innings, got the victory. Anthony Young gave up a two-run homer to Gary Scott in the ninth, but finished for his 15th save.