NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Swift Remains Unbeaten With Shutout

Bill Swift continues to impress in his first season with the San Francisco Giants.

Swift, acquired from the Seattle Mariners last December in a five-player trade involving Kevin Mitchell, struck out four and walked one Thursday in a 2-0 complete-game victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at St. Louis.

Swift (6-0) became the National League’s first six-game winner and lowered his league-leading earned-run average to 1.29. He faced 29 batters and induced the Cardinals to hit into three double plays.

“Swift is pitching like he’s in a dream right now,” said Cardinal pitcher Donovan Osborne (3-1), who gave up seven hits and struck out 10 in eight innings.

The biggest threat Swift faced was during the first inning, when he got Todd Zeile to ground into a double play with runners at first and third.

Ray Lankford doubled with two outs in the third inning, but Swift got Ozzie Smith to ground out.

“I just try to get that first out in every inning,” Swift said. “It seemed to be working.”

Matt Williams, who entered the game with a .189 batting average, hit a two-run home run in the fourth. It was Williams’ seventh homer and the first given up by Osborne in five starts spanning 36 1/3 innings.

Cincinnati 4, New York 2--Rob Dibble was impressive in relief and the Reds made the Mets pay for shoddy fielding at Cincinnati.

Dibble replaced Scott Bankhead with two out and the bases loaded in the seventh inning. He struck out Bobby Bonilla and four of the last six batters to earn his fourth save.

Dwight Gooden (2-3) gave up four hits and four walks in five innings but suffered his second consecutive loss.

The Mets committed three errors in the first three innings to help the Reds build a 4-1 lead.

Atlanta 4, Pittsburgh 2--Mark Lemke hit his fifth homer in 682 major league at-bats as the Braves ended the Pirates’ eight-game home winning streak.

Tom Glavine (5-1), who came into the game with 20 consecutive shutout innings, gave up a run in the first and pitched seven innings.

Mike Stanton, who struck out pinch-hitter Barry Bonds and Jose Lind with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, got his second save.

Lemke’s solo homer came against Denny Neagle (1-1) in the sixth.

Chicago 9, Houston 2--Sammy Sosa hit his first home run at Chicago as Mike Morgan (2-2) earned his second consecutive victory.

Morgan went nine innings for the first time since Sept. 24. He gave up seven hits and struck out two.