NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Reds Turn On Power to Escape With Split

After a brief, two-game drought, the Cincinnati Reds’ newest version of the Big Red Machine found its power stroke in the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday.

Greg Vaughn hit three home runs and Aaron Boone added two as the Reds hit six home runs to defeat the Chicago Cubs, 10-3, after losing the first game, 2-1, at Chicago.

“I don’t know what it is. I just hope it doesn’t stop,” Vaughn said after the Reds fell three games behind the Houston Astros in the National League Central and 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the wild-card race. “Right now, I’m tired. I’m going to the whirlpool.”

The Reds, who hit a major league record 14 homers over a two-game span Saturday and Sunday at Philadelphia, had one homer Monday and none in Tuesday’s opener.

In the opener, 16-game loser Steve Trachsel gave up only four hits in eight innings, winning consecutive decisions for the first time this season.

“The second game just shows you how well Trachsel pitched in the first,” Cub Manager Jim Riggleman said. “It is really hard to hold them down.”

Sammy Sosa didn’t homer during the doubleheader and remains at 58 with 24 games to play. He had two singles in the second game and was two for eight in the doubleheader with four strikeouts.

Arizona 11, Milwaukee 9--Matt Williams’ grand slam highlighted a seven-run sixth inning for the Diamondbacks in a game at Milwaukee that featured seven home runs and a major league record-tying 15 pitchers.

Luis Gonzalez, Jay Bell and Steve Finley also homered for the Diamondbacks, who stayed 6 1/2 gams ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

San Francisco 7, New York 4--Marvin Benard’s run-scoring single capped a two-run eighth-inning rally and Rich Aurilia had three hits and drove in two runs at New York as the Giants won for the ninth time in 11 games.

The Mets fell 3 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Houston 8, Philadelphia 6--Ken Caminiti hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the ninth inning at Philadelphia as the Astros won their fifth in a row.

Bobby Abreu hit his 20th home run in the third, giving Philadelphia a team record-tying four players with 20 home runs.

Pittsburgh 3, San Diego 1--Brian Giles went three for three with a two-run home run and Jason Schmidt shut out the Padres for 7 2/3 innings after Quilvio Veras’ leadoff homer at Pittsburgh.

Atlanta 3, St. Louis 2--Pinch-hitter Howard Battle singled home the winning run with two out in the ninth inning at Atlanta as the Braves won for the 14th time in 17 games.

Montreal 4, Colorado 1--Vladimir Guerrero went two for three and drove in four runs at Montreal as the Expos ended a four-game losing streak.