National League Roundup : Drabek Stops Pirates’ 4-Game Losing Streak

Doug Drabek couldn’t win a game in June, but the Pittsburgh Pirates did well without him.

While his teammates are struggling in July, Drabek has become the stopper.

Drabek held the Cardinals to two hits in 8 innings Tuesday night at St. Louis and the Pirates won, 2-1.

Jim Gott took over after Willie McGee homered to spoil Drabek’s bid for a shutout and saved the big right-hander’s fourth consecutive victory.

Drabek (9-5), who stopped a four-game Pirate losing streak, has won four of the last nine Pittsburgh victories.

In July, he has had five starts and given up only eight runs.

“I added a curveball and that turned it around,” Drabek said. “Just being able to throw it early in the count has helped my confidence. I always had faith in my fastball and slider, but another pitch has made the difference.

“I was fortunate to be on tonight, and the defense made big plays for me.”

Pitching coach Ray Miller called it Drabek’s finest performance in his two seasons with the Pirates.

“He had a no-hitter in the ninth in a game with San Diego,” Miller said, “but he didn’t have half the stuff he had tonight.”

Danny Cox gave up just six hits in 7 innings, but three of them and a wild pitch gave the Pirates both runs in the fourth.

Cox, just one of the Cardinal starters injured this season, is 3-6. He, John Tudor, Joe Magrane and Greg Mathews have all been hurt.

Last season, when the Cardinals won the National League pennant, the four accounted for 41 victories. This season they have a total of 11.

San Diego 5, Houston 1--Carmelo Martinez hit a two-run home run to ignite a five-run fourth inning at San Diego, and Dennis Rasmussen made it stand up.

Rasmussen (8-7) went into the game with a career earned-run average of 7.06 against the Astros. But the left-hander, 6-1 as a Padre, held the Astros to six hits in eight innings.

The Astros’ Jim Deshaies (7-7) faced nine batters in the first three innings. He was hammered for five hits and five runs after two were out in the fourth.

Rasmussen put an end to the Astros’ string of home runs at 12 games.

Montreal 8, Chicago 4--A season that has been mostly an unhappy one for Mike Fitzgerald suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

Fitzgerald, injured early and just recently brought back from the minors, hit a grand slam with two out in the 11th inning at Montreal.

“I am really excited and happy that I could do something to contribute,” Fitzgerald said.

Cub starter Greg Maddux, in pursuit of his 16th victory, gave up four hits in seven innings.

The Cubs’ Andre Dawson was spiked on the foot by Montreal’s Andres Galarraga while beating out an infield hit in the eighth and had to leave the game.

New York 7, Philadelphia 5--Kevin McReynolds’ two-out single scored Len Dykstra with the eventual winning run in the seventh inning as the Mets beat the Phillies in a game twice delayed by rain.

The game was held up for a total of 3 hours 25 minutes and ended at 2:13 a.m. EDT.

Reliever Terry Leach (4-1) allowed only 1 run and 2 hits in 3 innings as the Mets snapped a three-game losing streak. Greg Harris (3-3) took the loss.

Cincinnati 3-1, Atlanta 2-2--Pinch-hitter Jim Morrison singled with the bases loaded and two out in the 10th inning of the second game at Atlanta to give the Braves a split.

In the opener, Tom Browning (9-4), with late help from Julio Franco, gained his seventh win in his last eight decisions. He is 9-2 against the Braves.

Franco’s save was his 10th this month.