Rodriguez Hits Home Run No. 20

As Henry Rodriguez goes, so go the Montreal Expos.

Rodriguez hit his National League-leading 20th home run as the Expos de feated the San Francisco Giants, 7-4, Friday night at Montreal.

“Right now I’m hitting everything with power,” said Rodriguez. “I’m just hitting the ball on the good part of the bat.”

Sherman Obando drove in the go-ahead run with single in the seventh and Cliff Floyd drew a bases-loaded walk to help give Montreal only its third win in the past 11 games.

Rodriguez also had an RBI double in the eighth to raise his National League-leading RBI total to 56.

Barry Bonds, who went three for five with three RBIs, struck out in the ninth with two on. He also had a beverage dumped on him while fielding a ball in the left-field corner in the fifth inning.

Atlanta 9, Cincinnati 1--The Braves hit six solo homers, one shy of the team record, including two apiece by Fred McGriff and Eddie Perez, to defeat the Reds at Cincinnati.

Jermaine Dye and Jeff Blauser also homered and Steve Avery doubled with the bases loaded, sending the Braves to their 10th victory in 12 games.

San Diego 4, Philadelphia 2--Andy Ashby pitched three-hit ball for eight innings, and Tony Gwynn and Archi Cianfrocco each drove in two runs as the Padres beat the Phillies at Philadelphia.

Pittsburgh 8, Colorado 4--Denny Neagle won his seventh game in eight starts despite giving up two homers, and Orlando Merced homered as the Pirates won at Pittsburgh.

Neagle (7-2), the Pirates’ only pitcher above .500, gave up five hits and struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings to improve to 18-6 in 32 starts before the All-Star break over the last two seasons.

Chicago 2, Florida 1--Jaime Navarro pitched a seven-hitter and Scott Servais drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Cubs halted a six-game losing streak with the win at Miami.

St. Louis 6, Houston 4--Luis Alicea hit his second three-run homer in two games to break a seventh-inning tie as the Cardinals beat the Astros at St. Louis.