National League Roundup : Rose Plans All-Out Assault Today

Although Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott may be rooting against him, Pete Rose plans an all-out assault today on Ty Cobb’s record for hits in a career.

After hitting his second home run of the season and a single Friday at Chicago to help the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs, 7-5, the 44-year-old Rose has 4,189 hits. He needs two to tie the record and three to break it.

Although Schott and Rose, the player-manager of the Reds, have expressed the hope that he will break the record in Cincinnati, Rose emphasized that he would not ease up against Dennis Eckersley, the Cub starter today. The switch-hitting Rose has not started against a left-hander this season, and he will sit out Sunday’s game against left-hander Steve Trout.

“I’ll be trying to get a hit every time up tomorrow,” Rose told the Associated Press. “I’d like to tell you I struck out the last time up on purpose (Friday) so Marge wouldn’t be calling me up. But I was trying as hard as I could to get a hit.”

Rose didn’t hit a home run in either 1983 or 1984. Both of his home runs this season have been at Wrigley Field. There was a 16-m.p.h. wind blowing out.

“It’s fun to play in Wrigley when the wind is blowing out,” Rose said. “Non-home-run hitters can become home-run hitters here.”

When he struck out in the first inning, it marked the third game in a row in which Rose struck out in the first inning, and it made him 3 for 17. But in the second, on a 3-and-2 pitch, he hit a two-run home run off Derek Botelho to climax a four-run inning.

The outburst produced a 5-0 lead for Mario Soto, who later gave up home runs to Ron Cey, Leon Durham and Thad Bosley. Cey’s 18th came with two on in the fourth. Soto (12-15) struck out 10 and pitched his ninth complete game.

Rose grounded out in the fourth inning. As the lead-off man in the sixth, he lined a single to right. Then, leading off the ninth against rookie left-hander Ron Meredith, Rose struck out again. It was only the 29th time he has struck out this season, but four of the strikeouts have come in his last 21 at-bats.

Often booed on the road, Rose was pleasantly surprised when the 17,026 fans gave him a standing ovation as he came up in the first inning.

“It was great,” Rose said. “It’s the first time I ever saw that on the road.”

The only thing that marred Rose’s day were questions about drugs. Lonnie Smith, testifying in a court in Pittsburgh Thursday, said Rose was among several Philadelphia Phillies accused of taking amphetamines in 1981.

“Lonnie never saw me do drugs,” Rose said. “I was cleared of that all the way in hearings.”

Hot-hitting Ryne Sandberg had three hits for the Cubs to raise his average to .310. After a poor start this season, Sandberg is only four points behind his average of last season, when he was voted the Most Valuable Player.

St. Louis 8, Atlanta 0--Manager Whitey Herzog has figured out what to do about John Tudor next season.

“I’ll have him report May 15 and save the first six weeks of the season,” Herzog said after Tudor won for the 16th time in his last 17 decisions. “He’s got a marvelous record.”

When Tudor lost to Atlanta May 29, his record dropped to 1-7. He is now 17-8. His second consecutive shutout gave him eight shutouts, tops in the majors.

Tudor wanted to talk about his newest teammate, Cesar Cedeno, who hit a pinch grand slam in the sixth to turn the game into a rout.

“He’s been awesome, hasn’t he?” Tudor said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked of him----and more.”

The 34-year-old Cedeno is 8 for 16 since joining the Cardinals Aug. 29. Cedeno has filled in for injured first baseman Jack Clark.

“It’s exciting to help a team in a pennant race,” Cedeno said. “It makes you play better. I’m just thrilled for the opportunity.”

Andy Van Slyke singled in the only run Tudor needed in the first inning. In the second, Tudor tripled and scored the second run. Darrell Porter’s eighth homer made it 3-0 in the third.

Tudor gave up seven hits and was helped by a brilliant running catch by center fielder Willie McGee in the fourth.

San Diego 3, Philadelphia 2--Tim Flannery hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning at San Diego to end the Padres’ three-game losing streak.

Rich Gossage pitched two scoreless innings of relief to improve his record to 3-2.

Greg Nettles opened the 11th by reaching base on an error by pitcher Dave Shipanoff. Bobby Brown ran for Nettles and stole second. Kevin McReynolds bounced to first, and Mike Schmidt’s throw to third was too late to get Brown. Terry Kennedy was given an intentional walk, but Kurt Bevacqua forced Brown at the plate before Flannery ended the game.

The Padres rallied from a 2-0 deficit. Carmelo Martinez singled in one run in the fifth, and Steve Garvey’s two-out infield hit scored Miguel Dilone with the tying run in the seventh.

Houston 4, Pittsburgh 3--Bill Doran raced home on Don Robinson’s wild pitch with two out in the 10th inning at Houston to beat the Pirates.

First baseman Glenn Davis of the Astros made two errors but made up for it with his bat. He hit his 13th home run in the second inning and singled in a run in the eighth to send the game into extra innings.

Bill Dawley, showing no signs of the elbow injury that put him on the disabled list much of the season, pitched three shutout innings of relief to improve his record to 4-2.