NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Giants End Expos’ Win Streak

Willie McGee realizes he hasn’t done much this season, so what he accomplished Sunday made him feel a little better.

McGee singled in the go-ahead run and Bill Swift pitched seven strong innings at Montreal as the San Francisco Giants defeated Montreal, 4-1, to end the Expos’ six-game winning streak.

McGee has yet to score a run in 78 plate appearances, but he drove in two runs Sunday.

“It’s been rough lately. I’ve been battling,” said McGee, hitting .250. “When you can get a hit in a situation like that in the seventh, it makes it easier.”

With the score 1-1, McGee singled in Swift with two out in the seventh against Jeff Fassero. Fassero entered the game in place of starter Chris Nabholz (1-1).

Swift (1-1) gave up four hits and one run. He struck out four and walked none. Rod Beck pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

Barry Bonds and Matt Williams hit home runs for the Giants, the fifth for each.

Nabholz gave up six hits, struck out five and walked three in 6 2/3 innings.

Chicago 2, Cincinnati 1--Steve Buechele tripled home the tying run and scored on Jose Vizcaino’s fourth consecutive single, capping a ninth-inning rally at Chicago that lifted the Cubs.

A day after the Reds routed the Cubs, 15-5, Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead into the ninth. But Tim Belcher (1-2), bidding for his second consecutive shutout, gave up a leadoff single to Derrick May.

With one out, Buechele hit a line drive that center fielder Cesar Hernandez dived for and missed, and the ball rolled to the wall for a triple. The Reds brought in the infield, and Vizcaino singled home pinch-runner Eric Yelding.

Vizcaino will be out of a starting job this week when All-Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg returns from a broken hand.

“I was put in a situation in that ninth inning, and I was hoping I would not get an intentional walk which would have loaded the bases,” Vizcaino said. “I’m able to play three positions, and I know I can hit in the big leagues.”

Paul Assenmacher (1-0), the Cubs’ third pitcher, pitched one inning for the victory.

Florida 11, Colorado 1--Junior Felix hit a grand slam to highlight an eight-run fourth inning at Denver to give the Marlins a victory in the first series between these two expansion teams.

Ryan Bowen (2-1) gave up no runs and three hits in seven innings.

Scott Aldred gave up seven runs and six hits in two-thirds of an inning after relieving Bryn Smith (1-3) during the fourth.

The grand slam by Felix was the first for the Marlins and the first major league grand slam at Mile High Stadium.

San Diego 9, New York 8--Reliever Anthony Young lost his 16th decision in a row in a game marred by a bench-clearing brawl at New York.

The Met record for consecutive losses is 18 by Roger Craig in 1963. The major league record is 23 by Clifton Curtis of the Boston Braves (1910-1911).

The Padres won the game in the eighth inning when Craig Shipley stole third base and continued home on catcher Charlie O’Brien’s error.

In the first inning, Gary Sheffield and Met starting catcher Todd Hundley were ejected after words between the two resulted in a bench-clearing brawl. Hundley thought Sheffield was stealing his signs to pitcher Sid Fernandez.

St. Louis 7, Atlanta 3--Omar Olivares pitched six strong innings at St. Louis as the Cardinals beat Greg Maddux.

Ozzie Smith and Todd Zeile each had three hits for the Cardinals.

Olivares (1-0) gave up two runs and five hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

Lee Smith earned his seventh save this season and the 362nd of his career by striking out two batters to end the game.

Maddux (2-2) gave up nine hits and four runs in four innings.

Pittsburgh 7, Houston 2--Randy Tomlin pitched five-hit ball for eight innings, and the Pirates, who started the day under .500 for the first time in two years, won at Pittsburgh.

Andy Van Slyke’s run-scoring single and a throwing error by Mark Portugal (1-2) keyed a three-run fifth inning.

Tomlin (1-1), who brought a 5.93 earned-run average into the game, improved his career record in April to 7-1.