National League Roundup : Braves’ Batters Again Sock It to Pirates, 14-2

The Atlanta Braves went into this week as the worst hitting team in the National League. In two games with the Pittsburgh Pirates, they came roaring out of their season-long slump.

Gerald Perry hit a home run and four singles Wednesday night at Atlanta to lead a 19-hit attack and a 14-2 victory over the Pirates. Tuesday night, the Braves scored 11 runs on 17 hits.

It was an easy night for Rick Mahler, who gave up 11 hits, but had no trouble going the distance to complete an amazing 24-day stretch.

On the morning of May 9, Mahler was 0-4. He would have been out of the rotation if the Braves had anybody to replace him. That night he gave up seven runs in seven innings, but won.

He hasn’t lost since and has seven consecutive victories. This was his first complete game.

The Braves made it easy for the veteran right-hander. They scored twice in the first inning, then broke it open with six in the fifth inning.

That was the inning that Perry hit a two-run home run off Brian Fisher (4-2).

One of the reasons for the Atlanta resurgence is that Dale Murphy has started to hit. Murphy had three hits Tuesday night, and went 2 for 4 in this one, driving in four runs.

Ken Oberkfell also has been a big contributor. He was 4 for 5 Tuesday and came right back with 3 for 5 and scored four runs.

Until the sudden collapse, the Pirates’ pitching staff was the fourth most effective in the league.

Since Russ Nixon replaced Chuck Tanner as manager the Braves are 5-4.

“It’s unusual for any club to have two nights in a row like that. We needed it,” Nixon said.

San Francisco 2, Montreal 1--The Giants are by no means out of their hitting slump, but they squeezed out a victory at Montreal and climbed back to .500.

Will Clark spoiled Floyd Youmans’ bid for a no-hitter when he opened the seventh inning with his 12th home run. Jeffrey Leonard doubled and reached third with one out. Mike Aldrete squeezed home the winning run. Until the outburst, Youmans (1-4) had yielded only one run in 22 innings.

The only Montreal run came in the fourth when hot-hitting Andres Galarraga hit his 12th home run on a drive to right.

Kelly Downs (3-5) left after six innings because of back spasms, but wound up the winner.

St. Louis 3, Houston 2--Luis Alicea doubled with two out in the 13th inning and scored on Steve Lake’s pinch single, giving the Cardinals the marathon win at Houston.

The hits came off Jeff Heathcock (0-3), the fifth Houston pitcher.

Steve Peters (2-2) got the victory with two innings of scoreless relief. Todd Worrell pitched the bottom of the 13th for his 15th save.

Philadelphia 9, San Diego 7--Pinch-hitter Luis Aguayo’s tie-breaking, two-run single keyed a five-run rally in the eighth inning twice delayed by rain at Philadelphia that gave the Phillies the victory.