National League Roundup : Pirates, in Front and on Center Stage, Beat Cubs

Manager Jim Leyland’s early season goal was to have his Pittsburgh Pirates play well enough to perform on network television.

On the third Saturday of the season, Leyland got his wish. An NBC audience had the opportunity to watch the National League East leaders in action.

Hot-hitting catcher Mike LaValliere delivered a 2-run single in the eighth inning at Pittsburgh to give the Pirates a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

LaValliere’s seventh hit in his last eight at-bats came off Rich (Goose) Gossage with the bases loaded, one out and the Pirates trailing, 4-3. It gave the Pirates a 12-4 record, their best start in more than 25 years.

The Pirates demonstrated power (home runs by Bobby Bonilla and R.J. Reynolds), defense (especially by second baseman Jose Lind), timely hitting and an ability to battle back.

LaValliere, a throw-in in the deal that sent All-Star catcher Tony Pena to the Cardinals for Andy Van Slyke and Mike Dunne, batted .300 last season. His 7-for-8 spurt has raised his average to .386.

“Please don’t anybody wake me up,” LaValliere said. “This is as hot as I’ve been since I’ve been playing. All the pitches look like they’re coming in real big, and I’m using the whole field.”

Only three of the current Pirates were on the team on Sept. 28, 1985, the date of the club’s last national television appearance. The Pirates, who lost 104 games in ‘85, weren’t the attraction that day. This time, they were.

“There’s no team in baseball that has better athletes than the Pittsburgh Pirates,” said Leyland, in his third year as Pirate manager. “These guys have a chance to be real quality players, and I’m glad for their sake and the city’s sake some people got a chance to see them play. They deserve it.”

Brian Fisher, seeking his fourth win without a defeat, gave up 9 hits in 5 innings and left trailing, 2-0. One of the hits was by Vance Law, who extended his hitting streak to 16 games.

With the first of their comebacks, the Pirates got Fisher off the hook.

Bonilla hit his sixth home run with two out in the sixth to make it 2-1. After Sid Bream blooped a double down the left-field line, left-hander Jamie Moyer replaced Al Nipper on the mound for the Cubs.

Reynolds, who can switch-hit, ordinarily doesn’t face left-handers, but Leyland played a hunch, and Reynolds responded by hitting only the second of his 25 home runs batting right-handed.

Jeff Robinson, the Pirates’ top reliever since being obtained from the San Francisco Giants in the Rick Reuschel trade, couldn’t protect the lead, and the Pirates had to rally again.

The Cubs signed Gossage as a free agent after they traded bullpen ace Lee Smith to the Boston Red Sox for Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi.

After getting out of the seventh, Gossage gave up a single to Van Slyke to open the eighth. A walk to Bonilla, Bream’s sacrifice and an intentional walk to Reynolds set the stage for LaValliere.

New York 12, St. Louis 9--The Mets aren’t gaining any ground on the Pirates, but they are putting a lot of distance between themselves and the Cardinals.

Dave Magadan singled home Kevin McReynolds in the eighth inning at St. Louis to break a 7-7 tie, and the Mets went on to beat the Cardinals for the fifth time in a row. The Mets are 11-5, and the Cardinals, last year’s league champions, are 4-12.

After Vince Coleman tripled in the first inning and homered in the second inning, the Mets asked the umpires to confiscate his bat. Coleman also stole home in the first.

On Friday night, bats used by Howard Johnson of the Mets and Bob Horner of the Cardinals were confiscated. All will be examined by league officials.

Tom Brunansky, obtained from the Minnesota Twins for Tommy Herr, was 1 for 5 in his Cardinal debut and drove in a run.

There were six errors in the game, including one each by Gold Glove-winning first baseman Keith Hernandez of the Mets and shortstop Ozzie Smith of the Cards.

San Diego 4, Houston 0--Randy Ready scored on a disputed play in the fourth inning and drove in two runs with a single in the eighth to lead the Padres.

Ed Whitson (2-0) combined with two relievers to pitch a four-hitter as the Padres beat the Astros at San Diego for the ninth straight time.

Ready doubled in the fourth and scored on Benito Santiago’s single when he evaded catcher Alan Ashby’s tag. Ashby had the ball before Ready got there, and the Astros argued to no avail.

Philadelphia 3, Montreal 3--After waiting 89 minutes for the rain to end at Philadelphia, umpires called the game with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Although all statistics count, the teams will replay the game in its entirety.