National League Roundup : Parker Hits Two Homers as Reds Complete a Sweep of the Astros, 11-3

The Cincinnati Reds haven’t yet made a runaway of the National League West, but things could hardly look better for them.

Mario Soto is pitching without pain, Dave Parker is hitting home runs, and Sunday at Houston the Reds completed a sweep of the Astros, defending West champions.

The Astros were 9-0 at home and had Mike Scott, Nolan Ryan and Bob Knepper, their three best pitchers, ready to face the Reds in the series which began Friday night.

After extra-inning victories in the first two games, the Reds won an 11-3 laugher. Parker, in his best game in the Astrodome, hit 2 home runs and drove in 5 runs.

Soto, who underwent shoulder surgery after having problems most of last season, his worst (5-10), made his second impressive start this season.

The hard-throwing right-hander gave up 3 runs and 7 hits in 6 innings and won his first game since last August. In his first appearance last Tuesday, Soto went 6 innings and gave up just 3 hits and 1 run against San Diego.

“You won’t sweep against those three pitchers very often,” Reds’ Manager Pete Rose said. “We also have to feel that Soto has recovered. He has pitched without pain and is throwing well.”

Parker has hit seven home runs, three against the Astros, his highest production ever in April.

“I don’t like to play here and I don’t see the ball well here normally,” the 14-year veteran said. “This has to be my best day here.

“I’m hitting the long ball, but my mechanics haven’t been good. This is a good team to start hitting against.”

The Reds have won 5 of 6 games from the Astros.

After the game, the Astros sent relief pitcher Charlie Kerfeld to Tucson of the Pacific Coast League. Kerfeld gave up six runs and seven hits in two innings against the Reds and has an 0-2 record with a 9.23 earned-run average.

Chicago 7, Montreal 1--Andre Dawson doesn’t really enjoy beating up on his old teammates, he just happens to be in a groove.

Dawson was the key man in the Cubs’ three-game sweep at Montreal. Friday he had three doubles, Saturday he had two hits, drove in a run and scored another.

But Sunday, he outdid himself. Dawson hit two home runs and drove in three runs.

“I don’t want to think I was beating up on my friends,” said Dawson, who became a free agent after 10 seasons with the Expos. “I was just concentrating on my job. I knew if I came in here trying to do too much, I wouldn’t get much done.”

San Francisco 6, Atlanta 4--The Giants spent the weekend forcing the Braves to hit the ball into the ground at Atlanta.

The Braves hit into a major league record 13 double plays in the three-game series, including four in the finale. The old record was 12, held by four different teams.

Jeffrey Leonard hit a home run and a run-scoring single and Mark Davis, with relief help, improved his record to 3-0 and kept the Giants within one game of Cincinnati.

Ken Griffey grounded into a short-to-second-to first double play in the eighth inning to cut short a rally and set the record.

St. Louis 7, New York 4--The Cardinals’ patchwork lineup is too much for the world champion Mets.

Former Met Jose Oquendo and Steve Lake, both playing in place of injured regulars, and the Cards’ one legitimate slugger, Jack Clark, led them to their fifth win in six games against the Mets.

Clark hit his fifth home run and two singles, while Oquendo had three hits and Lake had two hits and drove in two runs. Oquendo is playing second in place of Tommy Herr and Lake is catching in place of Tony Pena.

The Cardinals pounded Ron Darling (2-1) for nine of their 15 hits in four innings.

Bob Forsch improved his record to 2-1, although he lasted only 5 innings and gave up eight hits.

Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 4--Lance Parrish hit a grand slam to highlight a six-run first inning at Philadelphia and the Phillies barely hung on for the win.

Parrish was thrown out of the game later for protesting the call on a pitch.

Kent Tekulve helped save the win for Bruce Ruffin when he worked out of a bases loaded jam with none out in the seventh.