National League Roundup : Ryan Defeats Phillies for Third Straight Win

Nolan Ryan won his third straight decision since he returned from the disabled list June 24, and Tony Walker drove in three runs to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday at the Astrodome.

Ryan, coming off a five-hit, nine-strikeout performance in seven innings July 8 at Montreal, worked six innings and allowed only three hits while striking out eight and walking five. Dave Smith, bothered recently by a rib injury, pitched the final three innings for his first save since June 12 and his 17th overall, second highest total in the league behind Jeff Reardon’s 20.

“Nolan threw well,” Astro Manager Hal Lanier said. “He pitched himself out of several jams. He was getting a little tired when I took him out.”

Ryan (6-6) even had an RBI single in the second inning, when Houston scored three runs.

Walker, a rookie, has been having his troubles this season--except when he faces Shane Rawley (11-5), who gave up four runs and nine hits in three innings and had his seven-game winning streak snapped. Walker entered the game with a .194 average and one home run (which he hit off Rawley). Walker now has 5 hits in 10 at-bats against the Phillie left-hander.

“He’s the only guy I can hit; I think I’ll take him to dinner,” Walker said after getting three hits, including another home run.

Philadelphia’s Kent Tekulve relieved Kevin Gross to start the eighth inning, tying ElRoy Face’s National League record of 819 career pitching appearances.

New York 10, Atlanta 1--Len Dykstra went 4 for 5, and Gary Carter had three singles, but it was pitcher Rick Aguilera, winless since June 15, who got Manager Dave Johnson’s attention as the Mets won their 58th game.

“That was the outing I was looking for,” Johnson said. “That was the Aguilera of last year.

“He was outstanding with everything. He mixed his pitches well . . . curve, split-fingered fastball and slider. This was a shot in the arm and what we needed.”

Aguilera, 10-7 in 1985 and 2-3 this season, allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out six through seven innings, before being relieved by Roger McDowell and then Jesse Orosco. Rick Mahler (10-8) took the loss.

“I have been waiting for this for a long time,” Aguilera said. “It couldn’t come at a better time, and now I’m ready to make a contribution in the second half.”

New York scored five runs in the seventh inning off Paul Assenmacher and Jim Acker and finished with 15 hits, this coming after an 11-0 win Friday night. The Mets have outscored the Braves, 26-2, in the first three games of the four-game series. Atlanta also made four errors, two by Dale Murphy, and left nine runners on base.

Said Manager Chuck Tanner: “I wasn’t exactly dancing today.”

The Braves dropped five games behind the Houston Astros in the West.

San Francisco 3, Pittsburgh 1--The Giants remained in a first-place tie with Houston in the West as All-Star Mike Krukow threw a seven-hitter and Rob Thompson scored two runs and drove in another at San Francisco.

Krukow (11-5), who has won seven of his last nine decisions and improved to 8-2 with five complete games at Candlestick Park this season, struck out five and walked none.

Thompson was 3 for 4 with two triples and a single. He was also hit by a pitch.

Cincinnati 2, Montreal 0--The Reds won for the fifth time in six games as John Denny and Ron Robinson combined on a two-hitter and Buddy Bell and Kurt Stillwell drove in runs at Montreal.

St. Louis 4, San Diego 2--The Cardinals got to Ed Whitson for three runs and four hits in the first inning of his first start since returning to the Padres, and later turned five double plays, two shy of the major league record, to win at San Diego.

Todd Worrell picked up his 15th save in relief of Bob Forsch (7-6).