National League Roundup : Padres Defeat Pirates on Homer by Martinez

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who had given the San Diego Padres trouble at Pittsburgh, taking three out of four games over the July 4 weekend, gave them another scare and gave the fans at Jack Murphy Stadium a little excitement before succumbing Thursday afternoon.

Not bad for the team with the worst record in the National League.

The 3-2 victory went to the Padres when Carmelo Martinez hit a two-out hanging slider off John Candelaria for a home run in the eighth inning.

It was Martinez’s 12th homer of the year and dropped Candelaria, who had relieved starter Rick Reuschel to start the eighth, to 2-4.

“He threw the slider and he’s been successful against me with that pitch before,” Martinez said. “But this time I was thinking that way, looking for the slider. I just guessed, and I guessed right.

“You’re thinking homer in that situation, but you really just have to get on base. But if he makes a mistake, then you might hit it out.”

Padre Manager Dick Williams knows that his team is going to have to win the one-run ballgames to win its second straight Western Division title.

“We were all surprised at that particular pitch in that particular situation with the score tied,” Williams said. “Luckily, Carmelo wasn’t. It was out over the plate where he could drive the ball, and he took advantage of it.”

Craig Lefferts pitched the seventh and eighth innings in relief of starter Dave Dravecky for the victory. Rich Gossage survived two ninth-inning singles and got the last three outs to earn his 19th save.

The Pirates scored single runs in the first and fourth innings for a 2-0 advantage. In the first, Bill Almon doubled and Johnny Ray legged out a bunt, moving Almon to third. Almon scored as Bill Madlock hit into a double play.

The Padres tied it with two runs in the fourth. Steve Garvey led off with a bunt single, and Graig Nettles walked. Two outs later, Kevin McReynolds doubled to right to score both runners.

Philadelphia 6, Cincinnati 3--Jerry Koosman pitched a seven-hitter over 7 innings, and Juan Samuel went 3 for 5 with two RBIs to lead the Phillies to victory over the Reds at Cincinnati.

Koosman (4-2) won his 220th career game and struck out four before giving way to Kent Tekulve, who pitched the final 1 innings to record his ninth save.

Cincinnati pitcher Mario Soto (8-11) suffered his eighth straight loss as the Phillies got eleven hits and six earned runs off the Reds’ right-hander.

Cincinnati player-manager Pete Rose did not play and still needs 35 hits to break Ty Cobb’s record of 4,191.

Samuel had a triple, two singles and scored a run. Mike Schmidt hit his 12th homer of the season to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead.

New York 7, Atlanta 6-Darryl Strawberry’s two-run single highlighted a five-run fifth inning at Shea Stadium as the Mets won their fourth straight.

Ron Darling (10-2) got credit for the victory after pitching five innings. Reliever Roger McDowell allowed Bob Horner’s two-run homer in the ninth before Jesse Orosco got the last two outs for his ninth save.

Wally Backman extended his hitting streak to 10 games with three singles in five at-bats.

Rick Mahler was the loser, but he was victimized by four Braves errors that led to six unearned runs.

The Mets, trailing 4-1, sent 10 men to the plate in the fifth.

Montreal 3, Houston 0--Rookie Joe Hesketh got his first victory since May 24 as he combined with Jeff Reardon on a seven-hitter at Montreal. The Expos took advantage of two passed balls and a throwing error by Houston catcher Alan Ashby.

Hesketh scattered the seven hits over 8 innings before Reardon came on to get the final out and notch his major league-leading 23rd save.

Montreal only got only four hits and managed only one earned run--a sacrifice fly by on Herm Winningham in the seventh inning that made the score 3-0.

San Francisco 1, Chicago 0--Jeff Leonard doubled with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Chili Davis from first base, giving the Giants a victory over the Cubs at San Francisco.

Leonard hit a 1-2 pitch down the right-field line with one out off the Cubs’ ace reliever, Lee Smith, that scored Davis for the game’s only run.

Mike Krukow pitched the complete game for the victory, the third straight for the Giants.