National League Roundup : Jackson Stars on Mound, at Plate as Reds Win, 8-1

When some people picked Cincinnati to win the National League West, they cited the Reds’ acquisition of pitcher Danny Jackson, something of an uncertain commodity after coming from the American League, where he went 9-18 with the Kansas City Royals last season.

But Thursday, in his debut with the Reds, Jackson looked very much like a hot commodity, throwing a three-hitter and driving in two runs en route to an 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati.

Eric Davis, who went 0 for 5 on opening day, drove in two runs for the Reds with a home run and a single. Cincinnati rookie Chris Sabo tied a major league record for assists by a third baseman, getting 11.

Jackson struck out two and walked seven. He lost his bid for a shutout in the eighth when Bob Horner, who went hitless in his first six at-bats of the season, homered.

New York 8, Montreal 5--Gary Carter hit two solo homers the day before his 34th birthday, and Darryl Strawberry hit his third home run of the season to power the Mets past the Expos at Montreal.

Carter, who is still booed when he returns to Montreal to face his former team, connected off Neal Heaton for a 4-2 lead in the third inning. Strawberry’s two-run homer chased Heaton in the fifth, and Carter followed with a home run against Andy McGaffigan.

Trailing, 8-4, the Expos loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, with the help of errors by New York reliever Roger McDowell and shortstop Kevin Elster. But McDowell got Tim Raines on a run-scoring force-out, then retired Mitch Webster on a pop-up and Hubie Brooks on a fly ball to end the game.

San Francisco 6, San Diego 1--Mike Krukow pitched four-hit ball for seven innings, showing the form that made him a 20-game winner two years ago, and the Giants got home runs from Bob Brenly and Brett Butler to win their home opener before 54,543 fans.

Brenly hit San Francisco’s first home run of the season, a three-run shot in the fourth inning off Eric Show, to break a scoreless tie. Butler’s homer in the fifth against Eric Nolte made it 4-0.

Krukow did not allow a hit until the fifth, when Keith Moreland led off with an infield single, and Garry Templeton had a two-out single.