National League Roundup : Giants Win Pair From Reds to Make It a Four-Game Sweep

After a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, the San Francisco Giants are still a game out of first place, but their manager, Roger Craig, is claiming their second-place status is only temporary.

“Pitching is the key,” Craig told the Associated Press Sunday after the Giants swept a doubleheader from the Reds, 3-2 and 5-2, before 46,434 fans at Candlestick Park. “Whoever gets it down the stretch will win it--and we’ve got the best pitching.

The Giant pitching was indeed the difference in the series. The high-scoring Reds managed only seven runs in four games.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Mike Krukow, who seems to be rounding into the form of last season when he won 20 games, had a three-hit shutout entering the ninth. But he gave up a single to Kal Daniels and, one out later, Eric Davis hit a home run to bring the Reds close and chase Krukow.

In the second game, Kelly Downs also had a three-hitter until the ninth when he gave up hits to the first two batters and needed help to improve his record to 9-6.

About the only sour note for the Giants was that Will Clark, who homered in his fourth consecutive game in the opener, had his streak stopped in the nightcap. Clark has 6 home runs in 13 games against the Reds.

On top of their run-scoring difficulties, the Reds blew their chances in the second game with three errors in the Giants’ four-run second inning.

“This has to be the hardest place in the world to throw the ball in from the outfield,” Manager Pete Rose said. “It bounces and stops on the grass or the wind carries it over the catcher’s head.

“It’s only Aug. 9. We’ve got 7 or 8 weeks left.”

Philadelphia 8, St. Louis 7--The Phillies walked Jack Clark twice with the bases loaded at Philadelphia, but got away with it by scoring twice in the bottom of the 14th inning.

After Clark, who hit his 30th home run in the second inning to help the Cardinals build a 5-1 lead, walked to force in a run in the top of the 14th, Lance Parrish tied it with a one-out home run. With two out and a runner on first, Steve Jeltz hit a drive to right that went for a triple when Johnny Morris crashed into the fence and missed the ball.

By walking in his 15th consecutive game, Clark tied a league record set by Darrell Evans of the Atlanta Braves in 1976.

With the loss, the Cardinals missed a chance to increase their lead in the East to 5 1/2 games.

Chicago 6, New York 3--Cub catcher Jody Davis could tell from the start that Dwight Gooden didn’t have his best stuff at New York, so he took advantage of it.

Davis homered off Gooden (9-4) in the fifth inning, then singled in the tie-breaking run in a three-run seventh.

“I could see from the first inning that he didn’t have good stuff,” Davis said. “The curveball was nothing. He threw me three (curveballs) my first time up, and they all rolled up there.

“His fastball didn’t have any pop on it, either. The home run was on a fastball down the middle.”

Gooden gave up six runs and nine hits in 6 innings. Most of his poor outings have been in the daytime. He is 18-13 under the sun and 49-10 at night.

Mookie Wilson, who complained Saturday about not getting to play, was in right field in place of injured Darryl Strawberry and went 3 for 3, including a home run.

San Diego 4, Houston 3--Maybe, it’s just a salary drive, but the Padres almost ruined the Astros’ pennant hopes.

Chris Brown’s homer in the fourth inning, and Eric Show’s run-scoring single two outs later, helped the Padres sweep the three-game series.

Despite the sweep, the Astros actually gained ground on the Cincinnati Reds, who lost four in a row at San Francisco.

Although neither Bob Knepper nor Nolan Ryan has won a game since early June, the Astros are only three games out of first place.

Show (6-13) went six innings to get the victory and Rich Gossage got his 10th save.

Pittsburgh 4, Montreal 3--The last-place team in the East put a damper on the Expos’ hopes by winning three out of four at Pittsburgh.

The way they won this one was particularly galling. Neal Heaton had a six-hitter and a 3-1 lead going into the eighth. Al Pedrique, who was 4 for 4, singled and scored on Darnell Coles’ first National League hit, a double.

Jeff Parrett replaced the left-hander Heaton. But pinch-hitter Andy Van Slyke greeted Parrett with a home run to give the Pirates a rare come-from-behind win.