Reds Defeat Giants, 7-6, to Stay Alive

The Cincinnati Reds, clinging to a slim hope in the National League West pennant race, stayed alive the hard way Tuesday by coming from behind and beating the San Francisco Giants, 7-6, on a two-run single by Eric Davis in the eighth inning.

“We’ve showed a lot of character all year. I don’t think it’s just been in the last month,” Manager Pete Rose said.

The team which finished fifth last year with a 70-92 record, has 87 victories so far this season, Rose’s first full one as manager. The Reds have won 16 of their last 21 games and are sure of finishing at least second, behind the Dodgers.

“It would be nothing short of a miracle to catch them,” Rose admitted. “If we do, we do. If we don’t, we finish second and try for first next year.”

The Dodgers had the opportunity to clinch at least a tie for the title by beating San Diego Tuesday night.

Davis had three hits including the game-winner off reliever Scott Garrelts (9-5) and he drove in four runs.

“Every time I’ve come into this park, I’ve hit well. I don’t know how to explain it,” said Davis, the outfielder who had another four-RBI game at Candlestick Park last September and homered here in April.

Davis, hitting .190, was sent to the minors this spring. He has done much better since returning to the Reds in late August.

“I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m just trying to improve,” he said. “I want to show a little more consistency.”

The Reds loaded the bases in the eighth on Dave Concepcion’s single, a walk by Bo Diaz, and a bunt single by Ron Oester.

Dan Gladden drove in three San Francisco runs with a homer and triple. His two-run triple in the fourth broke a 3-3 tie, and Mike Woodard followed with an RBI single to wrap up a three-run rally off Reds starter Andy McGaffigan.

Tom Hume (3-4) got the pitching victory and John Franco earned his 11th save.

Both teams got two early runs on homers. Davis and Dave Parker homered in the first off Atlee Hammaker. Gladden got a leadoff homer, his fifth, in the first and Dan Driessen homered to open the Giants’ second.

Parker’s homer gave him a career-high 31 for the season. He hit 30 for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1978, when he was the NL Most Valuable Player.

The Reds got two runs off Jeff Robinson in the sixth, including one on an RBI single by Davis.

The loss was the Giants’ 97th of the season, setting a San Francisco record. They lost 96 last year.

Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 3--All Chicago’s Jody Davis wanted to do was protect the runner on a hit and run play. All he did was hit a two-run homer that helped the Cubs beat the Pirates at Chicago.

Davis’ 17th homer with Keith Moreland on base in the fourth inning beat his old batterymate, loser Rick Reuschel.

Reuschel didn’t regret the 450-foot homer by Davis and another one by Leon Durham as much as he did the walk to Moreland.

“I didn’t make mistakes when I gave up (the) homers, because they are big league hitters,” he said. “But walking Moreland proved to be the big difference.”