National League Roundup : Hoyt Stops Pirates and Ends Padres’ Skid, 3-0

In the old days, before relief pitchers became such a factor in baseball, a “stopper” was a starting pitcher. He was a Dizzy Dean, a Carl Hubbell, a Juan Marichal, a Sandy Koufax.

Now, a stopper is normally someone out of the bullpen, a Dan Quisenberry, a Bruce Sutter or a Willie Hernandez.

The San Diego Padres are a throwback to the old days. Their stopper is LaMarr Hoyt.

After two rocky nights in rainy Pittsburgh, when the Padres blew games to the lowly Pirates, Hoyt took charge Sunday and put an end to the threat of a slump.

Hoyt held the Pirates to six hits in winning his ninth consecutive game, a 3-0 victory that improved his record to 11-4 and enabled the Padres to restore their lead in the West to four games.

Tim Flannery hit a two-run double to highlight a three-run sixth inning that broke open a battle between Hoyt and Rick Reuschel (7-2).

Hoyt, a 30-year-old right-handed control pitcher, was the American League’s Cy Young winner in 1983 with the Chicago White Sox. He has bounced back from last season when he led the league in defeats with 18.

The Padres, sorely in need of someone who could go out there every fifth day and give them a solid effort, sent Tim Lollar and three other players to the White Sox for Hoyt.

He has been more than worth it. With the bullpen in shambles after two long, rain-delayed games, Hoyt’s eighth complete game provided welcome relief to the relievers.

For the fifth time in his last eight starts, Hoyt did not walk a batter. In 131 innings this season he has walked only 13.

“We needed a big one from LaMarr, and he came through again,” Padre Manager Dick Williams said. “Our bullpen hasn’t been doing the job. He comes out, doesn’t walk a batter again and wins his ninth in a row. You can’t pitch much better than he’s been pitching. He deserves a spot on the All-Star team, and I’m going to try to get him one.”

Hoyt also impressed Pirate Manager Chuck Tanner. “He was in control of us, I’ll say that,” Tanner said. “He put the ball where he wanted to and had great command of his pitches.

“He’s the type of pitcher you can’t wait to hit against because he throws strikes. Then, you go up there and wind up 0 for 4.

“We just can’t seem to win a third in a row. We get two and if we could get that third one we might make a move.”

Reuschel, a winner in relief Friday despite giving up two runs in the top of the 12th, pitched well, but with Bill Madlock, Steve Kemp and George Hendrick sitting out the game, he didn’t really have a chance.

He was probably the most dangerous hitter in the lineup. In fact, he doubled to open the sixth, went to third on a bunt single by Marvell Wynne, then was stranded.

Chicago 6, San Francisco 5--Leon Durham struggled early in the season, but he has been a relaxed hitter for the last month and pitchers are taking a beating.

Durham hit two home runs and drove in three runs at Chicago to enable the Cubs to end the pesky Giants’ four-game winning streak and salvage the finale of the four-game series.

While hitting safely in 24 of his last 28 games, Durham is 41 for 109 and has moved his average above .290.

“Early in the season I put pressure on myself,” Durham said. “Now, I’m relaxed and looking to hit the ball hard.”

Although they lost the last game, the Giants left town feeling pretty good. The worst hitting team in the majors scored 29 runs and had 50 hits in the four games.

Cincinnati 3, Philadelphia 2--Cesar Cedeno broke his bat on a high fastball thrown by Kent Tekulve in the 10th inning at Philadelphia, but the ball carried over the left-field fence for a game-winning home run.

It was only the third home run this season for Cedeno, who is hitting .241 as a part-time performer. He usually plays when a left-hander goes against the Reds.

“I’d like to play more than two games in a row or one game a week,” said Cedeno, who becomes a free agent after this season. “I don’t think I should be condemned for going 0 for 17 in May. I haven’t played much since.”

New York 4-8, Atlanta 0-5--It was a big day for the Ray Knight family. While his wife, Nancy Lopez, was winning a golf tournament in Texas, Knight was helping the Mets clean up at Atlanta.

In the opener Knight had two hits and drove in a run. In the nightcap he doubled home two runs in a six-run sixth inning that wiped out a 2-0 deficit and enabled the Mets to sweep the four-game series and climb within 2 1/2 games of St. Louis in the East.

Sid Fernandez (3-5) won the opener, giving up only one hit in six innings. However, Manager Dave Johnson sent Roger McDowell to the rescue after Fernandez walked seven batters in six innings.

Ron Darling (8-2) won the nightcap with ninth-inning help from Jesse Orosco.

The Braves had 16 hits in the second game but stranded 15 base runners. Five Atlanta pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts, but they issued 11 walks.