National League Roundup : Swift Cardinals Race Past the Slumping Padres, 6-0

Ignoring for the while his own slumping team, Manager Dick Williams of the San Diego Padres said Thursday night that he knows why the St. Louis Cardinals are where they are, and he wished them well.

“Speed is a wonderful thing,” Williams said after watching St. Louis run off with a 6-0 win. “It helped us last year. More power to (Cards’ Manager) Whitey (Herzog), and I hope he utilizes it.”

The speed came from rookie Vince Coleman and outfielder Willie McGee. Each player had two hits, stole three bases and scored twice. Their performances made it easy for John Tudor, who pitched a five-hitter.

“I can’t remember when I was in this kind of groove, so I probably never have been,” Tudor said.

“I think it’s all a matter of control, for every pitcher it’s control. If you don’t throw strikes, you aren’t going to win ballgames. I just go out there, and I do the best that I can. If I get beat, I get beat. I’m sure Whitey knows that.”

Tudor (10-7), who won for the ninth straight time, struck out five and walked one while retiring 18 of the last 20 San Diego batters. The St. Louis left-hander notched his fourth shutout after working out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning.

Tito Landrum singled home the only two runs Tudor needed in the bottom of the first against San Diego left-hander Mark Thurmond (3-7).

The Cardinals had a major league season-high eight stolen bases in winning their fifth straight.

The Padres, who committed five errors, lost their third in a row.

Cincinnati 2, Montreal 0--Dann Bilardello and Gary Redus singled home seventh-inning runs, and Ron Robinson and Ted Power combined on a seven-hitter as the Reds shut out the Expos at Cincinnati.

Robinson (5-0) struck out six before leaving in the eighth inning in favor of Power, who got his 16th save.

Montreal left-hander Joe Hesketh (5-4) gave up one-out singles to Dave Concepcion and Ron Oester in the seventh. Bilardello, making his first start as catcher since being recalled from Class AAA Denver, hit a grounder through the hole at shortstop to send Concepcion home.

Concepcion’s single was the 2,048th hit of his career, tying Johnny Bench for second place on the Reds’ all-time list.

Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 2--Rafael Ramirez drilled a bases-loaded single with none out in the bottom of the ninth inning to snap a tie and give the Braves the win at Atlanta.

Ramirez’s single to right-center came after Rick Cerone had opened the inning with a double to left off losing reliever Larry Andersen (3-3). Glenn Hubbard then sacrificed pinch-runner Milt Thompson to third and was safe at first on a fielder’s choice. Claudell Washington was intentionally walked before Ramirez hit his game-winner.

Bruce Sutter (5-4) picked up the victory.

Pittsburgh 6, San Francisco 4--Johnny Ray hit a two-run homer, rookie Joe Orsulak went 4 for 4 and drove in a run, and Cecilio Guante pitched 5 innings of two-hit relief at Pittsburgh as the Pirates ended a four-game losing streak and handed the Giants their fifth straight loss.