National League Roundup : Browning Wins as Reds Get Off to a Fast Start

In his sixth start of the season, left-hander Tom Browning finally recorded a decision Tuesday night at Philadelphia, pitching the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-1 victory.

Browning didn’t win or lose in his first five starts this season, but when Bo Diaz hit a two-run home run in the first inning Browning had a five-run lead before he took the mound.

With the big cushion, Browning, a 20-game winner as a rookie in 1985, pitched only the 13th complete game in his 118th starts in the majors.

“It was nice to get on the board,” said Browning, who had given up three runs or less in four of his previous starts with nothing to show for it. “It was the offense’s night. They got me five runs before I went out there. That makes it easy to pitch.

“This is the age of relief pitchers,” Browning said. “I go out there with the knowledge that if I pitch a good six or seven innings we can win it. It doesn’t really make any difference whether I get complete games because we have a top bullpen.”

Browning lost his shutout in the third inning when Steve Jeltz’s triple and a bunt single by Bob Dernier produced the Phillies’ run.

A freak injury cost the Reds the services of first baseman Nick Esasky. Chris James of the Phillies accidentally kicked Esasky in the ankle while running out a ground ball. Esasky was carried off on a stretcher.

The Reds were counting on a big year from Browning, now a 28-year-old veteran, but they are having trouble staying close to the Dodgers in the West.

The victory put the Reds at .500, but they trail the Dodgers by five games.

Pittsburgh 6, San Francisco 2--R.J. Reynolds singled in two runs in the first inning at Pittsburgh to give the Pirates a running start, but it took pitching by committee to beat the Giants.

Three different pitchers held the light-hitting Giants to five hits. Vicente Palacios (1-2) went the first five, gave up three hits and both runs. Barry Jones went the next two and gave up one hit, but extended his scoreless innings to 14 for the season. Jim Gott pitched the final two, gave up the other hit, but earned his fifth save.

With the Giants having trouble hitting, they tried running. But catcher Mike LaValliere cut down Jeffrey Leonard, Kevin Mitchell and Robby Thompson.

Montreal 6, Atlanta 1--Manager Buck Rodgers of the Expos wanted seven innings out of Bryn Smith and he got them in this game at Atlanta.

Smith, who improved his record over the Braves to 11-2, gave up 8 hits, but did not walk a batter in improving his record to 2-2. Ozzie Virgil’s homer accounted for the Braves’ only run.

Hubie Brooks hit his fourth home run in the fifth off rookie Jose Alvarez, 32. That was the only hit off Alvarez in 4 innings.

Alvarez, recalled Monday to bolster the Braves’ weak staff, has spent most of the last 10 seasons in the minors. He pitched one game for the Braves in 1981 and seven the next season.

New York 5, Houston 2--Gary Carter drove in two runs with a double and a single at Houston, and Dave Cone pitched another strong game to improve his record to 4-0.

Cone, one of those pitchers a team can’t find a spot for so they are called long relief specialists, won two games in relief before Rick Aguillera went out with an injury.

In his first start, he pitched an eight-hit shutout last week. The Astros ended his shutout string with a run in the sixth. Cone gave up a run and four hits in seven innings.

Although he gave up the final Astro run, Roger McDowell gained his third save.

St. Louis 5, San Diego 1--Pinch-hitter Duane Walker singled with the bases loaded in the sixth inning at St. Louis to drive in two runs and break a 1-1 tie.

Four Cardinal pitchers held the Padres to six hits and a run. Bob Forsch retired only one batter to end the top of the sixth, but he became the winner on Walker’s hit.

Tony Pena went 3 for 3, including a 445-foot home run off Andy Hawkins (3-3) in the fifth that tied the game.

Todd Worrell pitched 2 innings of hitless relief to gain his ninth save.