National League Roundup : Is He Blue? Well, Almost in 3-1 Giant Win

Vida Blue, making his first start in the majors in almost two years, held the Philadelphia Phillies to one hit in five innings Sunday at San Francisco and was the winner in the Giants’ 3-1 victory.

Blue, in improving his record to 3-1 in his first start since July 1983, continued his remarkable comeback after his once-brilliant career sank to the depths.

In 1983, Blue, a winner of the Cy Young Award in both leagues and the sensation of baseball in 1971, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and served three months of a one-year sentence in jail. Even before, he had apparently lost his ability to pitch, having been released by the Kansas City Royals Aug 5, 1983. At the time he was 0-5 and had an earned-run average of 6.01.

After serving his prison term and paying a $5,000 fine, Blue spent 1984 on suspension by order of then Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Blue, who won the Most Valuable Player and Cy Young awards after posting a 24-8 record and a 1.82 ERA for Oakland in 1971, worked himself into shape last year and waited in vain for the word Kuhn had lifted the suspension.

This spring he started working out with the Giants, one of the worst teams in the majors. Just before the season opened the Giants put Blue, who will be 35 in July, on their roster. Until given his first start, Blue had been used strictly in relief. Although he compiled a 2-1 record in eight games, he wasn’t too impressive and had an ERA of 7.36.

Once a pitcher with remarkable control, Blue issued eight walks in 7 innings of relief. He still had control trouble Sunday.

Although he gave up only a triple to Rick Schu in the fifth, he walked five batters before Frank Williams and Mark Davis took over to blank the Phillies the last four innings.

Blue, who last won as a starter Sept. 13, 1982, was given a starting assignment because Bill Laskey has arm trouble. The veteran left-hander who won the top pitching award in the National League in 1978 when he won 18 for the Giants, wasn’t impressed with his performance.

“I was pitching ugly,” said Blue. “I’m satisfied with what I did and I had good velocity. But I had no idea how good or bad my control would be and it wasn’t good.

“Starting isn’t that big of a deal. I just took over for someone who’s injured. It’s my job to pitch and win. I’m comfortable with my situation. We have a good starting rotation and I have to take the back seat.”

Before serving time, Blue won 191 major league games and had three seasons in which he won 20 or more. During his outstanding 1971 season, Blue was a tremendous draw. In each visiting city he set the season attendance high.

Cincinnati 8, St. Louis 3--At 44, the remarkable Pete Rose is steaming toward two awards he probably never thought he would even be considered for.

One, would be Manager of the Year. Rose has the team generally considered a good bet to finish fifth or sixth only two games out of first place in the West.

And, the way he is playing, he could be a candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year. His answer to being a candidate for that award would be that he never left so how could he come back.

Rose banged out three hits, two of them doubles, scored twice, drove in two runs and raised his average to .295 in this game at St. Louis, while playing in his third game in less than 48 hours.

He now needs only 54 hits (he’s had 41 hits in 41 games this season) to break Ty Cobb’s career record of 4,191 hits.

“There was no problem in playing three games over the weekend,” Rose said. “I knew we had tomorrow off and we’ve another Thursday. Moreover, I feel fine at the plate right now. I’m seeing the ball well.”

Rose’s doubles came in the fourth and fifth innings when the Reds scored seven runs to make it easy for Jay Tibbs to win for the first time in more than two weeks.

“Pete’ll get the record in August,” Cardinal Manager Whitey Herzog said. “He’s a dandy.”

Manager Rose said his team has to make up for lack of home run power.

“We’ve got some guys who can knock in runs,” the manager said. “We’re not last in the league in offense. We’re going to score our share.”

New York 7, San Diego 3--Two pitchers who have had their problems came through for the Mets at San Diego. Calvin Schiraldi, recently off the disabled list, went five innings to gain the victory and Doug Sisk was superb in relief.

Sisk, who spent two weeks in the minors after posting a 7.43 ERA, gave up one hit in four innings for his second save.

Gary Carter and Danny Heep hit two-run homers for the Mets.

Pittsburgh 5, Atlanta 0--Manager Chuck Tanner of the Pirates wasn’t taking any chances that snake-bitten Jose DeLeon might lose this one at Pittsburgh. After DeLeon, loser of seven games this season, held the Braves to one-hit in five innings Tanner took him out with a 5-0 lead.

“He’s pitched that well before and lost,” Tanner said. “I wasn’t taking any chances.”

Johnny Ray led the Pirate attack. He had three hits, scored two runs and drove in two.

Houston 4, Chicago 3--Terry Puhl doubled in two runs, but it took Bill Doran’s home run in the eighth inning at Houston to assure the Astros of the victory.

Mike Scott retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced and held the Cubs to four hits in eight innings. Doran’s homer gave the Astros a 4-2 lead and Dave Smith pitched the ninth. An error by shortstop Craig Reynolds allowed the Cubs to get within a run before Smith earned his eighth save.

Larry Gura, in his second start for the Cubs, gave up Puhl’s two-run double that made it 3-0 in the fifth.