National League Roundup : Reds Refuse to Quit, Rally to Beat Giants

Although they seemed destined to finish second best in the West, the Cincinnati Reds have enjoyed a remarkably successful season.

They continued to force the Dodgers to win it on their own when they rallied for two runs in the eighth inning Tuesday at San Francisco to beat the Giants, 8-7.

Eric Davis had three hits and drove in four runs. His single with the bases loaded in the eighth brought the Reds from behind to win for the 16th time in the last 21 games.

The Reds have forced the Dodgers to win the division. They have not allowed them to back into it.

Player-manager Pete Rose is proud of the improvement of the Reds in his first full season as the leader. Last season the Reds had a 70-92 record, finishing just four games out of last place. This was their 87th win this season.

“We’ve showed a lot of character all year. I don’t think it’s just been for the last month,” Rose told the Associated Press.

“It would take a miracle for us to catch them. If we do, we do. If we don’t, we finish second and try for first next year.

“No matter how you look at it, you have to be proud of these guys. They never quit. Today was just another example.”

Home runs by Davis and Dave Parker gave the Reds a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Parker’s home run was a career-high 31st as he continues his bid for the Most Valuable Player award.

But the Giants knocked Andy McGaffigan out of the box in the fourth inning and jumped out to a 6-3 lead.

The Reds cut the lead to a single run with two in the sixth. Davis singled in one of those runs.

In the eighth against Giant bullpen ace Scott Garrelts, Dave Concepcion singled and Gary Redus and Wayne Krenchicki walked to fill the bases for Davis.

The Reds expected big things of Davis, a Los Angeles youngster, this spring. But he was hitting .190 and was sent back to the minors. He has hit better since being recalled.

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

“Every time I’ve come into this park, I’ve hit well. I don’t know how to explain it. I had a game here last September when I drove in four runs and last April I hit a home run here.”

It was the Giants 97th loss, the most they have lost since moving to San Francisco in 1958.

Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 3--Rick Reuschel gave up only three hits in seven innings at Chicago but two of them were home runs by Leon Durham and Jody Davis.

Reuschel, who had a four-game winning streak, stopped Keith Moreland’s hitting streak at 18.

Houston 2, Atlanta 0--Charlie Kerfield needed help with one out in the ninth at Houston and missed pitching his first major league shutout. Dave Smith got the last two outs.