National League Roundup : Andujar Struggles but Wins 20th

It was by no means a gem that he pitched Friday night, but Joaquin Andujar has won 20 games for the second season in a row.

Despite giving up 10 hits and 4 walks in 7 innings at Atlanta, he became the first 20-game winner in the majors as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Braves, 6-2. The victory put the Cardinals back into first place in the East, a game ahead of the New York Mets.

Jeff Lahti retired the last five Braves to earn his 15th save and make sure that Andujar won his 20th. The last previous Cardinal pitcher to win 20 or more in consecutive seasons was Bob Gibson in 1969 and 1970.

The Cardinals jumped on the Braves, who have lost four in a row and 10 of their last 11, for four runs in the third inning to get Andujar off to a fast start.

Vince Coleman singled, stole his 84th base and scored on Willie McGee’s triple, his league-leading 15th of the season. McGee scored on an infield out. Mike Jorgensen, who took over at first base in the first inning when Jack Clark pulled a muscle in his rib cage, singled, and Andy Van Slyke hit a 3-0 pitch over the fence in right-center for his 10th home run.

McGee had a 3-for-4 night to raise his batting average, highest in the majors, to .365.

Andujar was the only 20-game winner in the league last season, but there should be several this year, including Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets, who already has 19. Gooden, Andujar admits, is a cinch to beat him out for the Cy Young Award.

“Last year, it took me to the last game to win 20,” Andujar told the Associated Press. “It took me five tries to win No. 20 last year. This year, we still have more than 40 games left, and I got 20, thanks to God.

“I’m not concerned about how many games I win, I just want to go to the World Series. That’s my goal.”

Manager White Herzog didn’t think his 20-game winner pitched all that badly.

“He gave up a lot of hits, but he battled the heck out of them,” Herzog said.

San Diego 6-3, New York 1-0--It was a rough six weeks, but the Padres have finally straightened out and appear ready to challenge the Dodgers.

The Padres went from five games in front of the Dodgers in the West to nine games behind them, but with this sweep at New York in which Steve Garvey hit a home run in each game, the Padres, stretching their winning streak to five games, closed within 6 1/2 games of the Dodgers.

The Padres are 5-0 on this trip, and without help from either LaMarr Hoyt or injured bullpen ace Rich Gossage, they have yielded only two earned runs during that time.

Three of the victories have been shutouts. In the second game of the doubleheader, Roy Lee Jackson, making his first start in three years, held the Mets to one hit in five innings, and three relievers checked them the rest of the way. Lance McCullers retired the last two batters with two on in the ninth for his fourth save.

Sid Fernandez started the second game for the Mets, struck out 7 of the first 10 batters, but then gave up a single to Garry Templeton with one out in the fourth, and Garvey rapped his 16th home run to make him a loser. Those were the only hits in six innings off Fernandez, who struck out nine.

Met Manager Dave Johnson was ejected in the first inning of the opener for arguing about the way plate umpire Bruce Froemming was calling pitches.

Cincinnati 3, Chicago 2--Ron Oester tripled and came home on Cesar Cedeno’s pinch single in the ninth inning at Cincinnati to give relief pitcher John Franco (11-1) his 11th victory in a row. Franco pitched three scoreless innings.

Player-Manager Pete Rose beat out a bunt in the third inning, and it led to the Reds’ first run. It also put Rose within 12 hits of becoming the all-time hit leader.

It was the sixth time in 18 at-bats that Cedeno has delivered a hit as a pinch-hitter.

Houston 2, Pittsburgh 0--Nolan Ryan still can’t come up with a winning effort, but he is starting to pitch effectively again. The veteran fireballer gave up two hits in eight innings at Pittsburgh. The Pirates’ Lee Tunnell matched Ryan, and the Astros didn’t pull it out until the 10th, when Kevin Bass doubled in two runs off former Angel Pat Clements.

It was Ryan’s 13th start since he last won on June 17, when he was 8-3. He has lost eight in a row. Last Sunday, Ryan had a no-hitter until the sixth, then gave up five consecutive singles.

“I would like to finally win one,” Ryan said, “but I feel I’m starting to pitch well again. A victory will come. I’ve had problems before, but this may be the longest I ever went without winning.”

San Francisco 4, Philadelphia 1--Bob Brenly, showing signs of coming out of a season-long slump, had three hits at Philadelphia, driving in one run and scoring another.

Atlee Hammaker (4-10) won for the first time in his last nine starts, but the hard-luck left-hander had to leave the game after five innings. He gave up four hits before straining his back while beating out a bunt in the top of the fifth.