National League Roundup : A Successful Trip West for Astros

A productive tour of three California cities has brought the Houston Astros to the forefront as the chief challenger to the Dodgers in the West.

Reliever Scotts Garrelts threw a wild pitch with two out in the ninth inning at San Francisco, and Billy Hatcher scored the winning run to give the Astros a 3-2 win over the Giants Wednesday.

The victory left the Astros with a 6-3 record on the trip, 2-1 in each city.

While the Dodgers and the Giants have faltered at home, most of the Astros’ troubles have been on the road. At home they are 30-19 and will play 32 of their last 55 games in the Astrodome.

Another reason the Astros believe they can win the West is the return to form of Mike Scott. After struggling in June and most of July, the former Cy Young Award winner is back in form.

He improved his record to 11-3 after giving up 5 hits and only 1 earned run in 8 innings, while striking out 7 and walking just 1. In his previous outing, he threw a four-hitter to beat the Dodgers, 3-1.

The Astros, who entered the game tied for second place with San Francisco, moved a game ahead of the Giants, who received a good performance from left-hander Joe Price, pressed into service because of injuries to the rest of the staff.

Three Giant starters--Dave Dravecky, Mike Krukow and Mike LaCoss--are on the disabled list. Rick Reuschel and Kelly Downs, the two most dependable starters, are ailing. Reuschel has a mild hamstring injury, and Downs has stiffness in his pitching shoulder.

The Astros had very little help on the trip from Glenn Davis, their only power hitter. Davis injured a hamstring last week in the first inning of the second game of the trip at San Diego. He didn’t return until the ninth inning Wednesday. He was at the plate when Garrelts, after getting two strikes, bounced a slider on the plate as Hatcher scored. Davis then struck out.

Scott had no sympathy for Garrelts, who was impressive for two innings.

“If Garrelts had hung that pitch, it might have meant four runs, instead of one,” Scott said after winning at Candlestick Park for the first time since 1985.

“It wouldn’t have been a disaster if we’d lost,” Scott added, but it was nice to win it. We go home with a good feeling.”

The Giants, desperately in need of pitching help, brought up Jeff Brantley, a right-hander who is 9-5 with Phoenix of the Pacific Coast League.

Montreal 6, Pittsburgh 4--August and September, sometimes known as the dog days, also are fighting days in baseball. The high temperatures and the heat of pennant races will do it every time.

Andres Galarraga hit a two-run home run in the third inning at Pittsburgh to break a 2-2 tie that triggered a brawl.

Pirate pitcher John Smiley hit Hubie Brooks in the back with the next pitch. Brooks stormed the mound, hit Smiley in the face, and players from both benches raced onto the field. Sid Bream and Brian Fisher of the Pirates pulled Brooks off Smiley, and order was finally restored. Brooks and Smiley were ejected.

“Galarraga hits a tape-measure job, Smiley hits Hubie Brooks in the back and Hubie doesn’t like being target practice, so he goes out there,” Manager Bob Rodgers of the Expos said. “It happens.”

Pascual Perez (8-5) survived a two-run first inning and Andy Van Slyke’s 18th home run in the sixth to get the victory.

The Pirates remained 4 games behind New York in the East, and the Expos, who have won 8 of their last 10, are 7 1/2 behind.

Chicago 3, New York 1--The Cubs usually provide very little offense for Rick Sutcliffe, giving him no more than one or two runs. n this game at New York, they gave him three, and he survived.

Sutcliffe pitched a seven-hitter, losing his shutout when Mookie Wilson drove in a run with a single with two out in the ninth.

Ryne Sandberg scored the Cubs’ first run and drove in the other two to give Sutcliffe a 3-0 cushion after five innings.

St. Louis 4, Philadelphia 2--Several pennant contenders reportedly covet Bob Forsch, the 38-year-old right-hander of the Cardinals.

He was showcased in this game at St. Louis, and his price may have gone up. Forsch (5-3) gave up just three hits in six innings.

Tom Brunansky, who was in a 2-for-32 slump, came out of it with a bang. He went 4 for 4, including his 15th home run and a triple. He drove in two runs. The struggling Cardinals had only one hit Tuesday night.

Atlanta 4, San Diego 2--Zane Smith pitched a six-hitter at San Diego, and the Braves ended an eight-game losing streak.

Ozzie Virgil hit a two-run single to highlight a three-run uprising against Andy Hawkins in the eighth and break open a tie game.