National League Roundup : Ryan Doesn’t Finish but Beats Giants, 3-0

Dick Wagner, Houston Astro general manager, thinks that limiting Nolan Ryan to 110 pitches per start will help the veteran right-hander avoid the injuries that have plagued him the last few years.

Sunday at Houston, Ryan, 40, went one pitch beyond that limit, but Wagner didn’t complain.

Ryan (3-5) struck out 12, walked none and allowed only five hits in seven innings, leading the Astros to a 3-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants. It was Ryan’s first win since May 1.

Ryan, who has 4,373 strikeouts in his career, the most in major league history, has struck out 10 or more batters in a game 166 times. He has 96 strikeouts this year, one more than teammate Mike Scott, to lead the league.

Ryan appreciates Wagner’s concern for his health, but he doesn’t understand the logic behind the 110-pitch limit.

“I’ll probably never finish another game as long as I throw only 110 pitches,” he told the Associated Press. “I can see their side of it, but there’s nothing magical about 110 pitches per game.”

Dave Smith pitched the final 1 innings to earn his 10th save as Houston, which is in third place in the West behind Cincinnati and the Giants, reached the .500 mark at 27-27.

Giant starter Atlee Hammaker (3-2) allowed only five hits in seven innings but took the loss. His wild pitch allowed Billy Hatcher to score the Astros’ first run in the sixth inning.

Bill Doran’s sacrifice fly and an RBI single by rookie Chuck Jackson in the seventh made it 3-0.

The Giants’ best scoring chance came in the first inning when Will Clark singled and took third on Candy Maldonado’s single with two out. But Ryan struck out Chili Davis to end the inning.

Maldonado had three of San Francisco’s hits, but was still impressed by Ryan.

“He’s always been overpowering, everybody knows that,” he said. “What makes him so good is when he gets his breaking ball over like he did today.”

Philadelphia 3, Montreal 1--Mike Jackson lost his bid for a no-hitter in the ninth inning, but the rookie right-hander still beat the Expos at Philadelphia for his first major-league victory.

Jackson (1-3) was three outs away from becoming the first pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter in Veterans Stadium when he gave up a double to Tim Raines leading off the ninth. Raines took third on a wild pitch and scored on Hubie Brooks’ sacrifice fly.

After Tim Wallach popped out, Tom Foley singled and Steve Bedrosian replaced Jackson. Bedrosian retired Vance Law for his 14th save.

Milt Thompson homered and singled twice for the Phillies.

St. Louis 13, Chicago 9--Willie McGee and Ozzie Smith each drove in four runs as the Cardinals held on to defeat the Cubs at Chicago.

The Cardinals, who led, 9-0, before the Cubs rallied for seven runs in the fourth, increased their lead over second-place Chicago in the East to three games.

McGee has been bothered by a sore wrist but it didn’t show Sunday. He had a sacrifice fly in the first, a two-run home run in the third, a run-scoring single in the fourth and a single in the sixth.

Smith singled in a run in the second, tripled home two in the fourth and added a run-scoring single in the ninth.

The Cubs’ Andre Dawson hit a three-run home run to give him 20 homers and tie him with Cincinnati’s Eric Davis for the league lead.

Atlanta 13, San Diego 12--Greg Booker walked Ken Oberkfell with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth to give the Braves the victory at Atlanta.

The Padres led, 11-2, and were still ahead, 11-6, going into the seventh when Atlanta scored six times to take a 12-11 lead. Oberkfell’s sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run.

The Padres tied it in the ninth when James Steels singled off winning pitcher Gene Garber (8-3) to drive in Marvell Wynne.

New York 5-9, Pittsburgh 4-10--Lee Mazzilli, who had eight RBIs in the two games, doubled home two runs in the 10th inning to give the Mets the victory in the opener at New York.

In the second game, pinch-hitter Mike Diaz and Andy Van Slyke homered to highlight a six-run eighth inning as the Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak. Mazzilli had five RBIs in the second game.

The win was the Pirates’ first at Shea Stadium in 15 games dating to Sept. 22, 1985.

Van Slyke, who hit one homer in the first game and two in the second, has eight this season.