NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Phillies’ Mulholland Wins Fifth in a Row, 4-1

In his first four starts, Terry Mulholland gave up 25 hits and 20 runs in 25 1/3 innings and had a record of 0-3.

He remained in the starting rotation mainly because the other four pitchers Manager Jim Fregosi of the Philadelphia Phillies was counting on to start were on the disabled list.

The 29-year-old left-hander has settled down to pitch about as well as anyone in either league.

Mulholland held the Atlanta Braves to one hit in seven innings Monday night at Philadelphia before tiring and needing help to get the last out in a 4-1 victory. It was Mulholland’s fifth consecutive victory.

Len Dykstra hit a three-run home run off Steve Avery (2-5) in the seventh inning to break open a tight game.

The Braves put together three hits in the eighth inning to spoil the shutout, and when they put two more runners on with two out in the ninth, Mitch Williams came to the rescue. Williams retired Brian Hunter on the first pitch on a towering pop fly for his seventh save.

Mulholland, who finished strong last season to post a 16-13 record for a team that was six games below .500, has had a remarkable streak. He pitched 44 of a possible 45 innings, giving up seven runs. He pitched complete games in the first three, then went 8 1/3 innings and now 8 2/3.

In his last 35 innings, he has given up only two runs. Mulholland is 5-0 with an earned-run average of 1.43 in May. He will get one more chance in May, next Saturday at Houston.

The Braves hammered Mulholland last season, scoring 12 runs in 11 1/3 innings.

Dykstra’s speed gave the Phillies their first run. He hustled a hit off second baseman Mark Lemke’s glove into a double in the first inning. Dykstra went to third base on an infield out and scored on a wild pitch.

Houston 10, Montreal 8--Butch Henry went into the ninth inning at Montreal breezing to his first major league victory. He held a 10-2 lead with three outs to go.

But the 23-year-old left-hander failed to retire one of the five batters he faced in the ninth. Doug Jones finally put out the fire, but not before the Expos scored six times and had the potential tying run at the plate.

Pete Incaviglia led the Astros’ 14-hit attack with two hits, including his second home run, and drove in four runs.

Scott Service made his first appearance for the Expos, his first in the major leagues since 1988 when he was with Philadelphia. The first batter he faced, Scott Servais (pronounced Service), singled.

Cincinnati 3, New York 0--Chris Hammond and two relievers held the Mets to five hits at New York and the surging Reds won their third in a row.

Hammond (4-2) beat the Mets for the second time and gave up the hits in six innings. Scott Bankhead got one out and Norm Charlton the last five.

Pete Schourek, brought up to replace injured Bret Saberhagen, gave up run and five hits in six innings.

Backup catcher Troy Afenir tripled in Freddie Benavides who had singled in the fifth.

Paul O’Neill hit a 400-foot home run off Paul Gibson in the seventh.

San Diego 7, Pittsburgh 6--Benito Santiago and Tony Gwynn hit three-run home runs, and the Padres handed the slumping Pirates their sixth loss in seven games.

Gwynn’s homer in the fifth gave the Padres a 6-1 lead and upset pitcher Zane Smith (5-3). His next pitch forced Gary Sheffield to hit the dirt. Sheffield responded by hitting a 440-foot home run into the second deck in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

The Pirates had 10 hits but only one run in the first five innings. Barry Bonds hit a two-run homer in the seventh and had four RBIs.

Craig Lefferts (6-2) went seven innings for his fifth victory in a row.

The Pirates scored two runs in the ninth, but missed a chance to tie when Orlando Merced lined what should have been a single to right and Gwynn got a force at second on Steve Buechele, who had to hold up thinking the ball would be caught.