National League Roundup : Giants Get Wind-Aided Victory Over Braves at Candlestick

For more than two decades, National League players have complained about the swirling winds at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.

Hitters have moaned about losing home runs after hitting the ball into the teeth of a gale, fielders have told of the perils of trying to catch fly balls and pitchers have complained about being blown off the mound.

In recent years, as the Giants spent much of their time around the cellar in the West, the players have used the park as an alibi for poor performances.

Almost since taking over as manager late last season, Roger Craig has carried on a campaign to use the intricacies of the park to his advantage.

“We are not going to give the elements a thought,” he told his players. “We are going to let the other teams worry about the park. We are going to take a positive approach.”

Craig’s plan worked to perfection Saturday.

It was the Atlanta Braves who couldn’t handle the wind, and they allowed the Giants to pull out a 7-5 victory.

With the game tied, 4-4, Jose Uribe led off the seventh inning with a pop fly behind second base. At Candlestick, when the wind blows, there’s no such thing as a routine pop fly. Second baseman Glenn Hubbard never saw the ball, which dropped in for a double.

Before the inning was over, the Giants had three runs and another victory. Earlier, Chili Davis got a double when right fielder Omar Moreno couldn’t handle the wind.

“The wind can play tricks here,” Craig said, “and we should know more of the tricks than anyone else.”

The victory gave the Giants, who are four games behind the Houston Astros in the West, a 31-21 record at home.

“I don’t really know how tough the winds were out there today, because I didn’t have any balls hit my way,” said Davis, the Giants’ right fielder. “Our pitchers were smart. They didn’t let Atlanta hit anything my way.”

Although right-hander Doyle Alexander was charged with all seven Giant runs in 6 innings, he probably deserved a better fate.

“A lot of times, box scores don’t show what transpired in a game,” Atlanta Manager Chuck Tanner said after his team lost for the 20th time in the last 25 games.

St. Louis 7, Pittsburgh 3--John Tudor doesn’t really hold a grudge against the Pirates for trading him; he just likes to let them know they allowed a good pitcher to get away.

Although he tired in the ninth inning at Pittsburgh, Tudor (10-5) improved his career record against the Pirates to 4-0. About the only Pirate who gave the left-hander trouble was Mike Diaz, who hit two home runs.

Tudor was traded to the Cardinals after the 1984 season in a deal that gave the Pirates George Hendrick. While Hendrick didn’t finish the 1985 season with the Pirates, Tudor had a 21-8 record and helped pitch the Cardinals into the World Series.

Ozzie Smith drove in three runs for the Cardinals, who were helped by four Pirate errors.

New York 4, Montreal 1--If the race in the East wasn’t already over, it is now. Before losing this rain-delayed game at New York to drop 17 1/2 games behind the Mets, the Expos learned they had lost Hubie Brooks, the league’s leading hitter, perhaps for the season.

Brooks, batting .340, had just returned to the lineup Friday night after missing 18 games with a thumb injury. In the 3-1 loss, Brooks reinjured the left thumb. X-rays showed torn ligaments, and the heavy-hitting shortstop may not play again this season.

With the Mets, it’s a case of the rich getting richer. Until about a month ago, the Mets were talking about four of their starting pitchers--Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez, Ron Darling and Bob Ojeda--winning 20 games. Though that no longer seems likely, their No. 5 starter, Rick Aguilera, has taken up the slack.

In a game twice halted by rain, Aguilera gave up just 3 hits and struck out 7 in 7 innings to win his fourth in a row. In those four games, Aguilera has pitched 31 innings and given up only 4 earned runs.

Houston 5, San Diego 4--Davey Lopes and Jose Cruz hit home runs in a five-run first inning, and Mike Scott (11-7) struck out 11 batters in 7 innings at San Diego.

The Padres pulled within a run and had the potential tying and winning runs in scoring position in the ninth, but Dave Smith struck out Graig Nettles to end the game.

Scott, who leads the majors with 208 strikeouts, gave up six hits and two runs before giving way to Aurelio Lopez in the eighth.

Philadelphia 12, Chicago 2--At Philadelphia, Juan Samuel went 4 for 5, including two doubles and a triple, and Kevin Gross pitched a five-hitter for his first victory in his last nine starts.