National League Roundup : Eric Davis’ 2-Run Home Run Gives Cincinnati a 6-4 Win Over Chicago

Eric Davis played set-up man for John Franco’s record-setting save Tuesday night.

Davis’ two-run homer in the seventh inning off reliever Les Lancaster gave Cincinnati the lead and the Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs, 6-4, as Franco established a club record with his 103rd career save.

Franco also earned his 26th save in 27 opportunities, giving him 16 saves in the Reds’ last 22 victories. He has allowed one run in his last 23 appearances, covering 25 innings.

“I’m on a high right now,” said Franco, who moved past Clay Carroll on the all-time Cincinnati list. “Each time I go out there the confidence level gets better and better and better. I feel like I’m the best, there’s nobody better right now.”

Franco allowed one hit in the ninth inning to get his league-leading 26th save. Davis put him in position with his 21st homer to snap a 4-4 tie.

Frank Williams (3-1) got the victory, pitching one-third of an inning in relief of Tom Browning.

Darrin Jackson led off the seventh with a pinch-hit home run for the Cubs. It was the 25th homer allowed by Browning in 26 starts.

The game was played with three umpires. Dana DeMuth, who was scheduled to work behind the plate, sat out after he fell and severely bruised his ribs earlier in the day. Dutch Rennert took his place, and the umpires said X-rays of DeMuth were negative. He is expected to miss several games.

St. Louis 3, Houston 0--Scott Terry, who started in place of John Tudor when Tudor was traded to the Dodgers, combined with two relievers on a six-hitter at St. Louis.

In his second major league start since 1986, Terry (3-3) struck out three and walked one in 6 innings. Ken Dayley pitched 2 innings to earn his fourth save.

“We probably had a better chance against Tudor,” Houston Manager Hal Lanier said. “His (Terry’s) sinker was working well because he got a lot of ground balls.”

The Cardinals scored in the first, third and fifth innings. The last came when Vince Coleman beat out a bunt, stole second, moved to third on an errant pickoff throw by Jim Deshaies and scored on Terry Pendleton’s sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals completed a triple play in the eighth. With men on first and second, Ken Dayley relieved John Costello. Pinch-hitter Jim Pankovits hit a sharp grounder to Pendleton at third. Pendleton stepped on third, threw to second baseman Jose Oquendo, who touched second and threw out Pankovits at first.

It was the first triple play of the season in the National League, but the fourth in the majors.

The loss dropped the Astros 3 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West.

Pittsburgh 4, Atlanta 2--Doug Drabek won his sixth consecutive decision, the longest winning streak of his three-year career, while striking out six and walking none as the Pirates won at Pittsburgh.

Jim Gott got three outs for his 21st save to help Drabek improve to 12-5. It’s the longest winning streak by a Pirate since John Candelaria won eight straight in 1983.

“I try not to go out there and think about the way I’m pitching, but I’m trying to take advantage of the groove I’m in,” Drabek said.

R.J. Reynolds hit his sixth home run of the season in the second and singled to start Pittsburgh’s two-run fifth to back Drabek’s eight-hit pitching over seven innings.

New York 13, San Francisco 6--The Mets put the game away early with nine runs in the first inning and also gave the Dodgers some breathing room in the West by pushing the Giants 5 1/2 back with the victory at San Francisco.

Mookie Wilson and Darryl Strawberry collected three hits each, with Wilson getting two hits and scoring two runs in the first inning alone. The Mets opened their nine-game road trip by sending 13 men to the plate in the second-most productive inning in team history, bettered only by the 10-run sixth inning June 12, 1979, against Cincinnati.

New York’s Dwight Gooden, staked to that 9-0 lead before ever throwing a pitch, scattered six hits over seven innings. Gooden (14-6) struck out five and walked none.

San Francisco starter Atlee Hammaker (6-5) faced eight batters and retired only one. Hammaker, who had given up three earned runs in his last four starts, surrendered seven runs this time before departing.

San Diego 6, Montreal 2--Tony Gwynn had three hits and drove in two runs at San Diego to send the Expos to their third straight loss.

Gwynn, batting .320, has hit .426 in his last 14 games.