National League Roundup : Pirates Beat Giants for Eighth Straight Victory

At the All-Star break, the Dodgers were stumbling and the San Francisco Giants were rolling. Just a few days later, it’s the other way around.

The cause of both developments has been Pittsburgh, winner of eight in a row.

The Pirates had swept three games from the Dodgers and cut their National League West lead to 2 1/2 games over the second-place Giants before the All-Star game. Saturday night, the Pirates beat the Giants, 10-1, for the third straight time to drop the Giants 5 1/2 back of the Dodgers.

Although Giant Manager Roger Craig spent 15 minutes lecturing his players after an 8-5 loss Friday night, the Giants took a beating Saturday night.

Doug Drabek (7-5), who lost his shutout when Kevin Mitchell hit his 10th home run in the seventh inning, hit a two-run triple in the third inning, when the Pirates scored six runs.

Craig had said the Giants would be a better team this year than the one that won the West last season. He threatened to make lineup changes if the Giants don’t straighten out.

“We lost something over the break,” Craig said. “We’re too good a club to be playing the way we’re playing. That club (the Pirates) is hot, give them credit, but we’re not playing like the champions we were last year. The intensity is not there, but it’s going to be there if I have to change the whole lineup.

“We’re not going out aggressive, but we will be, I promise you that.”

The Pirates, who had not won eight straight since 1983, remained 2 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the NL East.

New York 3, Atlanta 2--Although this was the Mets’ second win in three games at Atlanta, it was another struggle.

With most of the Mets’ hitters in a slump, it has been up to Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds to carry the load.

Strawberry hit his 23rd home run for the Mets’ first run, and McReynolds, who had five hits in New York’s 9-8, 11-inning victory Thursday night, doubled with two out in the eighth inning to score Dave Magadan and break a 2-2 tie.

The victory went to Edwin Nunez (1-0), recently acquired from the Seattle Mariners. He pitched a scoreless seventh.

The Mets’ Dwight Gooden, losing pitcher in the All-Star game, gave up 7 hits and 2 runs in 6 innings.

Montreal 6, Cincinnati 1--The Expos are playing as well as any team. With Tim Raines hitting a home run from each side of the plate in this game at Montreal, they won for the 12th time in 14 games.

Raines, who has 9 home runs this season, had never hit two home runs in a game in his 10-year career. He is the fourth player this season to hit a home run both right-handed and left-handed in one game. Bobby Bonilla of Pittsburgh, Dale Sveum of Milwaukee and Mickey Tettleton of Baltimore have also done it this season.

Dennis Martinez gave up six hits, pitched a complete game and improved his record to 10-7. Bo Diaz spoiled his shutout with a home run in the fifth.

St. Louis 3, San Diego 2--The Cardinals were on the verge of losing their ninth consecutive game when they trailed, 2-1, in the bottom of the ninth inning.

An infield hit by Willie McGee, a stolen base and a double by Terry Pendleton tied the score and brought Lance McCullers to the rescue of Mark Davis. With two out, light-hitting Luis Alicea singled to left field, and the losing streak was over.

The Padres’ Tony Gwynn, who drove in four runs Friday night, was 3 for 4, including a home run, and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Philadelphia 10, Houston 6--The Phillies ended a four-game losing streak when Chris James hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to break open a close game at Philadelphia.

Nolan Ryan had another poor outing for the Astros. He pitched 5 innings and allowed 5 runs and 8 hits.