Benes Stays Sharp, Corrals Ex-Mates

National League

Andy Benes won his eighth straight decision, overcoming Greg Vaughn’s first National League homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 8-2 Monday night at St. Louis.

The former Padre (11-8), pitching on three days’ rest, allowed two runs and four hits in 6 innings. He became the first St. Louis pitcher to win eight straight since John Tudor won 11 in a row in 1985.

Padres starter Bob Tewksbury (9-7), who won seven straight with the Cardinals two years ago, gave up six runs and 10 hits in four innings.

San Diego took a 2-0 lead in the first when Ken Caminiti singled and Vaughn hit his first homer since Milwaukee traded him to the Padres last Wednesday. He had been 0 for 12 for San Diego.

Cubs 7, Mets 3 Chicago

Mark Grace and Sammy Sosa hit back-to-back home runs and Steve Trachsel reached 10 wins for the first time as Chicago beat New York.

Trachsel (10-6) allowed four hits in 7-1/3 innings, including Alvaro Espinoza’s first homer as a Met and Todd Hundley’s 34th, to win his third straight decision.

Phillies 3, Pirates 0 Philadelphia

Curt Schilling pitched a four-hitter for his first shutout in three years, and Benito Santiago hit his career-high 19th homer, leading Philadelphia past Pittsburgh.

Schilling (5-4), who started the season on the disabled list after arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder last August, struck out a season-high 10 and walked two in his seventh career shutout, his first since a five-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 23, 1993.

Marlins 16, Rockies 9 Denver

Gary Sheffield drove in four runs with a pair of homers and Devon White had four hits as Florida used a season-high run total to beat Colorado.

Reds 4, Giants 3 San Francisco

Barry Larkin hit his 19th home run and Joe Oliver belted a go-ahead, two-run double as Cincinnati sent San Francisco to its sixth straight loss.

Injuries cost Giants

San Francisco shortstop Shawon Dunston, who had two bones in his face fractured in a collision on Sunday, was placed on the 15-day disabled list along with All-Star third baseman Matt Williams.

Dunston is scheduled to have surgery Friday at Stanford Hospital. His left eye orbit and cheekbone were fractured while sliding into second base and colliding with Astros shortstop Ricky Gutierrez.

Williams, who jammed his right shoulder trying to break up a double play on July 16, had been playing first base recently because of his physical limitations.

Clearing the bases

Willie McGee of St. Louis is one hit short of 2,000… . Mike Gallego has not committed an error in 22 games since replacing Luis Alicea as the Cardinals’ second baseman… . Sammy Sosa of the Cubs and Jeff Fassero of the Expos were voted the league’s player and pitcher of the month for July… . San Diego’s Ken Caminiti was named player of the week.