National League Roundup : Reds Defeat Padres as Jackson Keeps Pace With Hershiser

Cincinnati’s Danny Jackson, not getting any help from the Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser in his bid to win the National League Cy Young Award this season, kept his chances alive Monday night with help from an unlikely source.

Paul O’Neill, hitting just .150 since Aug. 11, drove in 3 runs with a 2-run homer and a single to help Jackson get his 22nd victory as the Reds beat the San Diego Padres, 7-2, at Cincinnati. Jackson scattered 7 hits.

O’Neill’s homer in the 4th inning put the Reds ahead for good as they outlasted Padre starter Ed Whitson (12-11).

It was O’Neill’s 1st homer since Aug. 11, his 14th of the season.

“They come into town when I’m due for some hits,” said O’Neill, who has a .390 career average against the Padres. “You’ve got to get your hits against somebody.”

Unfortunately for Jackson, Hershiser beat the Houston Astros Monday night by pitching his 4th consecutive shutout and extending his scoreless streak to 40 innings.

The Reds trail the 1st-place Dodgers by 9 1/2 games.

The Padres managed just 4 hits in the 1st 7 innings off Jackson (22-7), who joined Hershiser as the only National League pitchers with that many wins.

Jackson pitched 7 innings to get his 4th victory in his last 5 decisions. He became the first Red pitcher to win 22 games since Sam Ellis in 1965. The Reds’ record for most victories in a season is 27, shared by Dolf Luque in 1923 and Bucky Walters in 1939.

Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 4--Right fielder Tom Brunansky’s 1st error of the season enabled the Pirates to score an unearned run in the 9th inning and beat the Cardinals at St. Louis.

The Pirates’ victory kept the New York Mets’ magic number for clinching the National League East at 3.

With 1 out, Felix Fermin singled to right. The ball glanced off Brunansky’s glove and went past him for an error, allowing Fermin to make it to 3rd. Brunansky had fielded 261 chances this season and had been the only National League outfielder without an error.

Pinch-hitter R.J. Reynolds then hit a high chop single to 2nd, which allowed pinch-runner Rafael Belliard to score.

Atlanta 4, San Francisco 3--Ozzie Virgil’s bases-loaded bloop single in the 10th inning gave the Braves the victory over the Giants, ending their 3rd 6-game winning streak of the season in a game played before an Atlanta crowd of 2,351, the Braves’ 2nd-smallest of the year.

Lonnie Smith led off the 10th with a double against Joe Price (1-6) and moved to 3rd on Gerald Perry’s long fly ball to center. Dale Murphy and Andres Thomas were walked intentionally, loading the bases, before Virgil delivered the game-winner.