National League Roundup : Brooks Leads Expos to 7-2 Victory Over Pirates

Hubie Brooks went 4 for 4 and drove in two runs Friday night at Montreal to lead the Expos to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Brooks, in raising his average to .335, also scored a run. Tim Raines also had a perfect night (2 for 2) and drove in two runs. And catcher Mike Fitzgerald had two hits and drove in two runs.

They made it easy for Andy McGaffigan and Bob McClure, who combined for a six-hitter. McGaffigan (5-2) gave up five hits in six innings, and McClure yielded just one in the last three.

The Expos continued to reap the benefits of the trade they made with the New York Mets in December 1984. Until recently it was known as the Gary Carter deal. The Mets got Carter, one of the top catchers in baseball.

It has become apparent that the Mets gave up considerable talent for Carter. At the time, Brooks, who has developed into a solid shortstop, was the only name player the Expos received. The other three, Fitzgerald, pitcher Floyd Youmans and center fielder Herm Winningham, have become important cogs.

Last season, the Expos put Brooks in the cleanup spot. He surprised almost everyone by driving in 100 runs. This season, he has 45 RBIs in 63 games, an even better pace.

“I was treated well in New York, but if I had stayed there, I would probably be just one of the guys,” Brooks said. “They need me here. I have a better chance to be well known here.”

The Mets have said they would make the trade again and point to their 10-game lead in the National League East. The Expos would make it, too.

New York 10, Chicago 3--Gary Carter is hitting about 90 points lower than Brooks, but he has driven in more runs. In this game at New York, Carter hit a three-run home run to spark a six-run seventh. He drove in a run earlier and has 48 RBIs, three more than Brooks.

Keith Hernandez, who entered the game in an 0-for-14 slump, hit the decisive blow that enabled Sid Fernandez to improve his record to 8-2. He singled in a run in the fourth, then broke a 2-2 deadlock in the sixth with his fifth home run.

Fernandez held the Cubs to three hits, all in the fourth, when the Cubs scored twice.

San Francisco 3, Houston 1--Vida Blue and Juan Berenguer combined on a two-hitter at San Francisco, and former Dodger Candy Maldonado drove in the winning run with an infield out in the seventh as the Giants cut the Astros’ lead in the West to 1 1/2 games.

Blue, who squeezed in the first Giant run, gave up the two hits, one a home run by Kevin Bass, in seven innings. Berenguer pitched two hitless innings for his second save in a row.

St. Louis 9, Philadelphia 2--Each team had a leadoff home run at Philadelphia, but the Cardinals had 13 other hits, including Jack Clark’s ninth home run. Rookie Curt Ford opened the game with his first major league home run. In the bottom of the inning, Jeff Stone, 0 for 34, hit his second home run of the season.

Bob Forsch pitched an eight-hitter to improve his record to 6-4. It was his 135th win for the Cardinals, putting him ahead of the immortal Dizzy Dean and fifth on the Cardinals’ all-time list.

Cincinnati 6-8, Atlanta 4-5--Player Pete Rose went 0 for 5 in the first game of the doubleheader at Cincinnati, but Manager Pete Rose put the slumping veteran back in the lineup for the second game. Rose responded with three hits and sparked the Reds’ sweep.

In the opener, Buddy Bell drove in three runs with three hits, and Tom Browning pitched six innings to win it.

In the nightcap, Dave Concepcion’s bases-loaded double ignited a four-run first inning. Bill Gullickson went eight innings in the second game to win for the first time since May 24.