National League Roundup : Parker’s Hit Wins It for Cincinnati in the 10th

Dave Parker figures that if someone has to get a game-winning hit, it might as well be him.

“I don’t mind being the hero. When the game’s on the line I like to be out there. I’m a competitor,” Parker said after his 10th-inning RBI single gave the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night in the Astrodome.

Parker’s hit came off Houston reliever Aurelio Lopez, 1-1.

“He got me out two times before and made me look bad,” Parker said. “Tonight he got the screwball up in a situation when he had to get the ball over the plate.”

Winning pitcher John Franco, 1-4, pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and again in the 10th.

“I’ve been in so many bases-loaded situations it doesn’t faze me,” Franco said. “But if I have to do that for every victory I will be a gray-haired man before long.”

With one out in the 10th, Tracy Jones singled, moved to second on Dave Concepcion’s grounder and scored on Parker’s single.

The Reds took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on singles by Concepcion, Parker and Eric Davis, plus Buddy Bell’s sacrifice fly.

Houston cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second when John Mizerock singled to score Glenn Davis, who singled and moved to third on a pair of groundouts.

Cincinnati increased its lead to 3-1 in the fourth when Eric Davis singled, stole second, continued to third on catcher Mizerock’s throwing error and scored on an error by third baseman Phil Garner.

Houston tied the score in the fourth. Glenn Davis doubled and scored on a single by Kevin Bass. Bass went to third on a throwing error by first baseman Tony Perez and scored on Dickie Thon’s infield hit.

The setback prevented the Astros from moving into first place in the National League West and kept them a half game behind San Francisco and only a game ahead of third-place San Diego.