National League Roundup : Soto Gets Past Mets to Break His Eight-Game Losing Streak

It used to be easy for the Cincinnati Reds. Give the ball to Mario Soto, and no matter how bad the Reds’ offensive production, Soto would manage a victory.

Times have changed. The Reds are over .500, but Soto isn’t winning. And facing the New York Mets, who had scored 31 runs in their last two games, didn’t figure to bring an end to Soto’s eight-game losing streak.

But this is a strange year for the Reds. Soto fired a six-hitter as Cincinnati defeated the Mets, 5-1, Monday night.

Soto said that he had an idea that his losing streak might end at New York.

“I was throwing free and easy in the bullpen,” said Soto, 6-foot, 190-pounder from the Dominican Republic. “That was a good sign. I gave up on my slider and went strictly with the fastball and changeup. As a result, I threw a lot of strikes and did not overthrow the ball.”

Soto, whose last victory was June 4, struck out four and did not give up a walk.

Soto (9-11) didn’t allow a runner to reach third base until the ninth inning, when he lost a shutout on Darryl Strawberry’s two-out single.

“I pitched my own game, “ Soto said. “I didn’t worry about a shutout. I can’t say, ‘Here we go again.’ If I do then I’m sure to get in trouble.”

Sid Fernandez took the loss, but he struck out 13, a career-high. He had a no-hitter until Dave Concepcion opened the seventh inning with his sixth homer.

Cesar Cedeno drove in two more runs with a double in the same inning, and Gary Redus delivered his fifth homer of the year to lead off the eighth.

St. Louis 4, San Francisco 3--With all of their offense, who would have figured that the Cardinals would depend on journeyman Steve Braun two days in a row?

Braun hit a pinch-hit two-run homer to beat the Dodgers on Sunday, and his pinch-hit single Monday defeated the Giants at San Francisco.

Braun, batting for winning pitcher Joaquin Andujar (16-4) singled home Tito Landrum in the eighth inning with the winning run.

Andujar, who leads the majors in victories, allowed seven hits and three runs in seven innings. Jeff Lahti pitched the final two innings for his 10th save.

The Cardinals lead the East by 1 1/2 games over the Mets.

Chicago 5, San Diego 3--Keith Moreland’s RBI single in the eighth inning scored Davey Lopes from third and broke a 3-3 tie as the Cubs beat the Padres at San Diego.

The Cubs have managed to outplay the team that beat them in last season’s league championship series. The Cubs have a 6-4 record against the Padres.

Rookie Ron Meridith, who pitched the eighth inning, won his first major league game. Roy Lee Jackson (0-1), the player that the Padres got in return for Alan Wiggins, took the loss.

The Cubs added another run in the ninth when Ron Cey doubled, and Billy Hatcher pinch-ran for him. Bob Dernier singled in Hatcher for the final margin.

Atlanta 7, Montreal 1--Rick Mahler won his career-high 14th game with a six-hitter as the Braves defeated the Expos at Montreal.

The Braves have scored more runs for Mahler than any other starting pitcher.

“It’s such a big boost to receive so many runs,” Maheler said. “I’ve had so much support, and I see the team being 14-8 when I pitch as being the main thing.”

Mahler struck out five batters and walked two. He has pitched four of the five complete games that the Braves staff has thrown this year.

Terry Harper hit his 10th homer, and Bob Horner and Bruce Benedict each had two RBIs for the Braves.

David Palmer (6-8) took the loss. The Expos broke the shutout when Vance Law hit an RBI double.

Philadelphia 7, Houston 6--It wasn’t as funny as the wig that Mike Schmidt wore to win back the hearts of Phillie fans a few weeks ago, but his two-out homer in the bottom of the ninth might halt the boos for at least a while.

It was Schmidt’s 13th home run of the year. He received a second chance in the ninth inning when third baseman Phil Garner dropped his foul pop for an error at Philadelphia.

Don Carman (3-3) pitched the ninth for the victory.

The Phillies tied the score at 6-6 in the seventh inning after Houston had scored four runs in the top of the seventh. John Russell, who hit a first-inning grand slam, led off with a single and pinch-hitter Derrel Thomas walked. Juan Samuel and Von Hayes connected for back-to-back RBI singles off reliever Jeff Calhoun.

Russell’s grand slam was the first of his career.