National League Roundup : After Striking Out 4 Times, Knight Homers for 6-5 Win

Ray Knight, who had struck out in four previous at-bats, homered with two out in the 10th inning to snap a 5-5 tie and give the New York Mets a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros Thursday night at New York. It was the Mets’ seventh straight win.

“Four strikeouts or four ground-outs, what’s the difference?” Knight said. “I felt very confident tonight despite the fact that I wasn’t making contact throughout the game.”

Darryl Strawberry tied the game earlier in the 10th with his second two-run homer of the game. Strawberry also had a single and a double in five at-bats. The homer was his 12th of the season.

Pinch-hitter Phil Garner put Houston ahead, 5-3, in the top of the 10th with a two-run homer.

Jesse Orosco (4-4) gave up Garner’s homer but got the victory.

The game and subsequent fireworks show drew 48,839 fans, the Mets’ fifth sellout of the season.

Philadelphia 7, Cincinnati 3--Bruce Ruffin, called up last week to replace Steve Carlton on the Phillies’ roster, posted his first major league victory as the Reds had their three-game winning streak stopped at Philadelphia.

Ruffin, who came from Reading of the Double-A Eastern League, allowed 10 hits and 3 runs in pitching 7 innings.

He started his first game last Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals. In that one, he pitched 6 innings but wasn’t involved in the decision, a 7-4 victory for the Phillies.

“The first one is always sweet, now the trick is not to lose one,” said the 22-year-old Ruffin, a member of the Texas Longhorns team that won the College World Series in 1983.

Mike Schmidt hit a three-run homer, and John Russell had a two-run shot in the game seen by 61,475 fans, the largest crowd in the majors this season. A fireworks show followed the game.

Atlanta 3, Montreal 1--Ken Griffey’s two-run single with two out in the fifth inning at Atlanta gave the Braves their seventh victory in eight games.

Winner David Palmer (5-6) pitched seven-hit ball for 8 innings before needing last-out help from Gene Garber, who picked up his ninth save. Palmer struggled throughout, allowing baserunners in every inning.

He finished with nine strikeouts and seven walks in a battle with Joe Hesketh, who allowed just four hits in 7 innings.

Griffey’s fifth-inning single was only the second hit off Hesketh (6-5), who got in trouble through wildness. He walked six to go with his six strikeouts.

Griffey has hit in 14 straight games, 10 of which came with the New York Yankees before he was acquired by the Braves in a trade last Sunday.

San Diego 4, Chicago 1--LaMarr Hoyt, recording his first complete game in nearly a year, pitched a five-hitter for the Padres at San Diego.

Hoyt (3-4), who last went the distance July 7, 1985, lost his shutout when Chris Speier homered in the fifth. Hoyt struck out seven and did not walk a batter as he beat Dennis Eckersley (2-5), who went the first seven innings.

San Francisco 1, St. Louis 0--Mike Krukow threw a four-hitter, and rookie Randy Kutcher homered in the sixth at San Francisco as the Giants handed the Cardinals their seventh straight loss.