National League Roundup : Cruz, Hitting .354, Homers to Lead Astros, 4-3

Jose Cruz continued his torrid hitting Sunday at Philadelphia with a two-run home run in the first inning to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Phillies.

Cruz also had a double to raise his average to .354. He is 9 for 18 in the last four games but still is not satisfied.

“I still don’t feel comfortable at the plate,” said the Astros’ left fielder, one of the most underrated players in the game. “Maybe,” he added with a smile, “I’ll feel better when I get to .360.

“I love this park. Come to think of it, I love every park. It doesn’t make any difference to me where I play.”

Cruz has been the Astros’ offensive leader for the last decade and has hit over .300 five times. In the last two seasons he batted .318 and .312, respectively.

“People don’t recognize just how good Jose is,” Astro Manager Bob Lillis said. “He keeps putting numbers on the board year after year, but nobody ever seems to notice.”

One of the reasons is that Cruz plays half his games in the Astrodome, strictly a pitcher’s park. Few batters fare well there and it yields fewer homers than any other park.

Cruz’s second home run of the year gave Joe Niekro a good send-off for the win that enabled him to tie Larry Dierker’s record for most victories by an Astro pitcher. They have 137 each.

The Phillies, who won two out of three in the series, could again point with pride to their bullpen. Charles Hudson retired the last nine Astros. Philadelphia relievers have retired 24 consecutive batters.

Atlanta 6, Montreal 1--U.L. Washington, a refugee from the American League, was a little shocked after facing Rick Mahler, the winningest pitcher in the majors, for the first time in this game at Atlanta.

“I have never seen a changeup that slow,” Washington said after Mahler held the Expos to eight hits in eight innings to improve his record to 7-0. “It takes forever to get to the plate but it’s hard to hit.”

Mahler, shunted off to the minors in 1983, got another chance last season when injuries decimated the Braves’ staff. His record was 13-10.

“I’m glad I got another chance,” Mahler said. “And I’m pitching with more confidence than I ever had before.”

New York 3, Cincinnati 2--There was no talk in Cincinnati about change-ups, but there was about the “heat” thrown by Dwight Gooden, the Mets’ young right-hander.

In improving his record to 4-1, Gooden struck out nine in seven innings. He gave up seven hits but had trouble getting out Pete Rose. Rose had three hits and needs only 75 to surpass Ty Cobb in career hits.

Rookie outfielders Len Dykstra and John Christensen each drove in a run for the Mets. Jesse Orosco, who throws almost as hard as Gooden, pitched two scoreless innings to get his third save.

Four of Gooden’s strikeouts came with runners in scoring position. Before giving way to Orosco, he threw 120 pitches.

Tom Browning, who missed his last two starts because of a finger injury, suffered his first defeat in seven starts since coming up to the Reds last September. He is 3-1 lifetime.

ave LaPoint, who had pitched four good games and was 0-4, made sure of his first victory when he returned to face his old mates in St. Louis.

LaPoint not only pitched a six-hit shutout, he drove in a run with a double in the fifth.

“I must have the highest average (.420) of any pitcher,” LaPoint said. “Don’t let that fool you. I’ve got 23 hits and this was my first extra base hit.”

LaPoint, who had a 2.22 earned-run average going into the game, outpitched Joaquin Andujar (4-1).

Chicago 4, San Diego 2 (suspended)--Two one-hour rain delays almost ended the season-long major league string of no rainouts because there are no lights at Wrigley Field.

However, the teams made it into the seventh inning and the game will be resumed the next time the Padres are in Chicago July 8.

The Cubs grabbed the lead in the sixth inning when Keith Moreland hit a two-run home run. He hit it off Luis DeLeon, who relieved LaMarr Hoyt. The Padres batted for Hoyt in the top of the inning. Hoyt had warmed up and cooled off several times because of the rain.