National League Roundup : Murphy’s Home Run Gives the Braves 3-1 Win Over Padres

Dale Murphy hit his fourth homer in four games, a two-run shot over the left-field fence in the fourth inning, to help Rick Mahler and the Atlanta Braves defeat the San Diego Padres, 3-1, Sunday at Atlanta.

Murphy was playing in his 500th consecutive game. Only 30 players have ever played in 500 or more consecutive games.

Bruce Sutter, who picked up his second save Sunday, has quickly become a Murphy booster. “Dave Kingman in 1979 hit 48 home runs and he was pretty devastating,” Sutter said. “But, you know, Murph--I’ve played against him six or seven years and he’s without a doubt the best player in the National League.”

Mahler (2-0) struck out two and walked one over 8 innings before being replaced by Terry Forster. Forster walked the only batter he faced, and Sutter got the final two outs.

The Padres’ Garry Templeton, who drove in the only San Diego run, said Murphy is hitting “a lot better knowing that (Bob) Horner’s behind him. He’s going to get a lot better pitches to hit.”

After five games, Murphy is batting .500 (9 for 18), and has 10 RBIs to go with his four homers.

“He’s awesome--you almost take him for granted,” said Brave second baseman Glenn Hubbard, who tied a major league record with 12 assists Sunday.

Houston 5, Philadelphia 3--It was Nolan Ryan defeating Steve Carlton in this one at Houston, as Ryan pitched a six-hitter and struck out nine to increase his all-time major league strikeout lead over Carlton to 10.

Ryan (2-0) finished the game with 3,887 strikeouts, while Carlton, who struck out only two, now has 3,877. Carlton (0-1) lasted only five innings, giving up five runs on nine hits, walking five and throwing two wild pitches in the decisive fifth inning.

The score was tied, 3-3, when Houston’s Jose Cruz started the fifth with a single. Jerry Mumphrey walked and both runners advanced on Carlton’s first wild pitch. Cruz was then tagged out in a rundown when Terry Puhl missed a suicide squeeze bunt, with Mumphrey taking third on the play.

Carlton’s second wild pitch of the inning allowed Mumphrey to score. Puhl followed by reaching base on shortstop Steve Jeltz’s error, stole second and scored on a double by Mark Bailey.

New York 4, Cincinnati 0--

Dwight Gooden struck out 10 while pitching a four-hitter to beat the Reds at New York, where it was K-Day. The more than 31,000 fans attending the game were given poster-size cards with big red K’s (signifying strikeouts)on them. Mets Manager Dave Johnson wasn’t too fond of the promotion.

“I don’t like those cards,” Johnson said. “It’s an added distraction he (Gooden) doesn’t need. I kept hoping they wouldn’t hold up those things.”

Actually, the cards didn’t appear in force until late in the game. Gooden didn’t strike out his 10th batter until he got Dave Concepcion for the third time to end the game.

“I knew the fans wanted strikeouts,” Gooden said. “But I tried to keep it out of my mind. I tried not to overthrow.”

In winning his first decision, Gooden beat former minor league teammate Jay Tibbs, who had a shutout going until Gary Carter opened the sixth inning with his third solo home run of the season, all game-winners.

The victory was the Mets’ fifth in a row, including a three-game sweep of the Reds, and the 5-0 start is the best in club history. The 1973 Mets won their first four en route to their second National League pennant.

St. Louis 10, Pittsburgh 4--Jack Clark hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning as the Cardinals held off the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

The win, the first of the season for the Cardinals, went to Joaquin Andujar (1-0), who scattered seven hits and one run over seven innings. At the plate, Andujar was two for four and capped the Cardinals’ three-run eighth inning with a two-run single off reliever Kent Tekulve. Andujar jammed his thumb when he hit up the middle for two RBIs and was replaced by Neil Allen, who was tagged for three runs in the ninth.

The loss went to starter Rick Rhoden (0-2), who was tagged for four runs on seven hits in seven innings. Then Tekulve gave up six runs in the final two innings.

Chicago 4, Montreal 2--Rick Sutcliffe pitched a four-hitter and Jody Davis and Gary Matthews each homered as the Cubs won a rain-delayed game at Chicago.

It was the second straight game in which both Davis and Matthews homered. Sutcliffe (2-0) has now won 16 straight regular-season games.