National League Roundup : Kevin Gross’ Arm, Bat Beat Cards

Pitcher Kevin Gross waged a one-man war against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday night, using his bat and his arm to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-3 victory at Philadelphia.

Gross hit a three-run homer and also pitched a six-hitter in stopping the Cardinals. Unlike most pitchers who like to talk about their hitting, Gross preferred to talk about his pitching.

“I’m making a lot of contact this year, but the heck with my hitting,” said Gross (6-5). “I felt strong (on the mound). I threw long in between starts and stretched my arm as a change of pace. I felt strong out there.”

Gross, who struck out six, needed relief help with two out in the ninth after Terry Pendleton singled and Clint Hurdle walked on four pitches.

“I had two guys on, and that’s what the bullpen is for,” said Gross, whose home run off St. Louis starter Ray Burris (3-3) was the second of his career. “I was disappointed in myself.”

Don Carman gained his first save of the season by getting pinch-hitter Tito Landrum on a called third strike.

San Diego 8, San Francisco 3--Graig Nettles hit a pair of two-run homers, and Garry Templeton tripled to drive in two more runs to lead the Padres in a day game at San Diego.

Nettles’ two home runs raised his season total to 12 and gave him 380 in his 20 major league seasons, moving him past Orlando Cepeda into 25th place on the all-time homer list. It also marked the 40th time in Nettles’ career that he has hit two or more homers in a game.

The 41-year-old veteran doesn’t usually start in day games that follow night games, and with a left-hander pitching for the Giants, the left-handed hitting Nettles expected to be watching this one from the dugout.

“I was kind of surprised but I was happy, too, because when I get in one of these streaks I like to play against anybody and everybody,” Nettles said.

Nettles extended his hitting streak to seven games, and in that span he has gone 12 for 24 with 4 homers and 9 RBIs. He has raised his batting average from .202 on June 8 to .252.

Houston 6, Cincinnati 2--Glenn Davis hit his 14th home run, the Astros had 15 hits and left-hander Jim Deshaies scattered eight hits in seven innings as Houston won at Cincinnati.

Deshaies (4-2) struck out four and walked three in helping the National League West Division-leading Astros snap a three-game losing streak. Aurelio Lopez hurled the final two innings for Houston.

Losing pitcher Mario Soto (3-7) lasted just one inning, giving up three runs on four hits before leaving the game when his shoulder tightened.

The Astros’ Bill Doran led off with a double and scored on a single by Jose Cruz. Then Davis hit a line-drive shot over the left-field wall.

Pittsburgh 4, Montreal 2--Barry Bonds homered, and Joe Orsulak had three hits as the Pirates won at Montreal.

Bob Kipper (3-6) gave up four hits before leaving the game after the fifth inning with tenderness in his left elbow. Kipper also had a run-scoring single in the top of the fifth that broke a 2-2 tie.

Explaining why he pulled Kipper, Pirate Manager Jim Leyland said: “He’s a baby. He’s only 21 and we’re not going to take any chances with him. This is the first time he’s pitched with only three days’ rest, so when he told me he was tightening up, I decided to get him out.”

Said Kipper: “I wasn’t sure if I should say anything. But I figured at this point in the season, it’s too early to be a hero.”