National League Roundup : Bell Lifts Astros Over Pirates, 5-1

In a battle of the second-place teams in each of the National League’s divisions, the one standing pat prevailed.

While the Pittsburgh Pirates are building for a stretch drive, the Houston Astros are content to stay with the players who got them this far.

They welcomed Buddy Bell off the disabled list Friday night at Pittsburgh, and he contributed three hits, including a home run, in the Astros’ 5-1 victory over the Pirates.

The Astros, running out of starting pitchers, brought Danny Darwin out of the bullpen, and he held the Pirates to three hits. It was the Astros’ fifth win in seven games with the Pirates.

The Pirates are not standing still. Last Saturday, they obtained left-hander Dave LaPoint from the Chicago White Sox for reliever Barry Jones. Previously, the Pirates went for more speed. They picked up outfielder Gary Redus from the Chicago White Sox for veteran pinch-hitter Mike Diaz.

Diaz, a power hitter in a part-time role last season, has not fared too well. He hit 16 home runs in 241 at-bats in 1987, none in 47 games this season.

Glenn Davis hit his 24th home run to tie the score, 1-1, in the fourth and Bell, out with a rib-cage injury, followed with his fifth homer.

After losing four consecutive starts, Darwin (6-9) went to the bullpen July 10. He made 12 relief appearances. When Joaquin Andujar was ineffective, he got another chance.

The Pirates did not get a hit after losing pitcher Mike Dunne (6-10) singled in the third.

“I didn’t worry about what this game meant to me, but I knew we were short in the bullpen and they needed me to go seven,” Darwin said. “It surprised me that I was able to go nine. I still had good pop on my pitches in the ninth. I was glad I was able to make a contribution.”

In the two weeks Bell was out, the Astros’ batting average was only .212.

“It was frustrating knowing they needed my bat,” Bell said. “It felt good to help.”

San Francisco 6, Philadelphia 2--Robby Thompson’s three-run double was the big blow in a five-run seventh at San Francisco that brought the Giants from behind and kept them 5 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West.

A passed ball and a sacrifice fly gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh. Kelly Downs (13-9) got the win when the Giants erupted in the bottom of the inning.

Thompson’s hit came after reliever Bruce Ruffin walked Joel Youngblood with the bases loaded to force in the first run.

San Diego 3, New York 2--Carmelo Martinez, who hit a two-run home run in the first inning at San Diego to give the Padres the lead, also came through in the 10th to win it.

With two out and two on, Martinez singled to left to beat the Mets’ bullpen ace, Randy Myers.

The Mets, who tied the game with two runs in the eighth, missed a chance to win it in the 10th. They had the bases loaded with one out and couldn’t score.

Chicago 8, Atlanta 7--Andre Dawson hit two home runs, but it was his single off center fielder Terry Blocker’s glove with the bases loaded in the ninth at Chicago that won the game.

Bruce Sutter, making his first appearance since being sidelined Aug. 3 with Bell’s Palsy, faced three Cubs in the eighth. All hit safely and scored to rally the Cubs from a 6-4 deficit.

Dawson drove in five runs and went 4 for 5. He has 19 home runs and 64 runs batted in.

St. Louis 10, Cincinnati 4--Jose Oquendo hit a home run and drove in four runs, and former Dodger Pedro Guerrero made his first contribution to the Cardinals in this game at St. Louis.

Guerrero broke open the game with a bases-loaded triple in the eighth.

Terry Pendleton’s two-run double put the Cardinals ahead to stay in the third, and Oquendo followed with a two-run single.

Todd Worrell got the last four outs for his 24th save.