National League Roundup : Giants Get 2 Runs, and Downs Gets a Win Over Reds

All Kelly Downs asks is that his San Francisco teammates score some runs, and he’ll do the rest.

The Giants barely did their part Thursday, and the rookie right-hander pitched them to a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Candlestick Park.

The victory pulled the Giants within a half-game of the second-place Reds in the West.

“My biggest problem is my lack of concentration,” Downs said. “But it improves in close ballgames because I’m more intense and into the game.

“The last two or three years, I’ve learned to control myself on the mound.”

Downs (2-4) yielded four hits in seven innings, striking out four. Scott Garrelts worked the final two innings for his ninth save.

All but one of Downs’ starts have been decided by two runs or less. The Giants have scored only 14 runs for him in 10 starts.

“Downs will be outstanding,” Giant Manager Roger Craig said, “if we can score some runs for him.”

The Reds averted a shutout when Nick Esasky led off the fifth inning with a single, advanced on a pair of grounders and scored on Eddie Milner’s bloop single to right field.

Chili Davis, who had only one homer since July 9 and three runs batted in since Aug. 5, gave Downs the runs he needed with his 11th homer in the fourth inning.

“I’m starting to feel good at the plate again,” Davis said, “But I’m disappointed about the period I went through. For whatever reason, I took a nose dive, and that hurt the team as much as any injury.”

San Diego 9, Atlanta 1--Ed Wojna pitched a three-hitter in his first major league complete game, and Jerry Royster drove in three runs as the Padres trounced the Braves at San Diego.

Wojna (2-0), who was called up from Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League Aug. 28 to replace injured Eric Show, didn’t allow an extra-base hit, walked two and struck out five. He also made two errors, one of which cost him a shutout.

David Palmer (11-9) allowed seven runs in 2 innings as the Braves lost their fifth straight game.

John Kruk continued his hot hitting for the Padres with a two-run double.

Only 6,187 fans watched the game, San Diego’s smallest crowd since Sept. 2, 1982.