National League Roundup : O’Neill’s Bat Wins for Reds

Ron Oester should have come up with the plan for ending teammate Paul O’Neill’s lengthy batting slump a few days earlier.

After Oester suggested that O’Neill try sleeping on the other side of the bed, they can’t get the young right fielder out.

O’Neill went 4 for 4 to extend his string to seven consecutive hits and led the Reds to a 7-2 victory over the slumping San Diego Padres Tuesday at Cincinnati.

Until his streak, O’Neill had batted just .150 in August.

But when the Reds needed him most last weekend, O’Neill was slumping and was benched for the last game. The Reds lost two of three. With O’Neill leading the attack, the Reds have 2 straight victories. All they have accomplished is to stall the Dodgers’ clinching in the West. The Dodgers have won 2 also, aking their magic number 4.

“I was desperate and willing to try anything,” O’Neill said. “The hits have been falling. I’ll stay on that side.”

All f4 hits were singles, but he drove in 3 runs to help rookie Norm Charlton (3-4) win.

Charlton had a shaky start, allowing 4 hits and a run in the first 2 innings. He allowed only 1 more hit until the ninth when he gave up 2 more hits and the final run.

“Our chances of winning the West aren’t very good,” Manager Pete Rose said, “but it wouldn’t be too bad to finish second.”

The Padres, in the battle for second place a week ago, have lost 7 out of 8.

San Francisco 7, Atlanta 4--Brett Butler has always loved to hit in Atlanta. Unfortunately for the Braves he no longer does it for the Braves.

Butler, a former Brave who still resides in an Atlanta suburb, had 2 doubles and his sixth home run and drove in 3 runs for the Giants.

“I like to come home,” Butler said. “It’s comforting to be able to stay at home during a series. I enjoyed playing here and I enjoy coming back.”

Gerald Perry, trailing injured Tony Gwynn in the batting race by three points, went 1 for 4.

New York 6, Philadelphia 4--Kevin McReynolds hit 2 home runs, and Darryl Strawberry broke a 2-2 tie with a 3-run homer in the sixth at New York.

Although it wasn’t one of his top performances, David Cone (18-3) gained his sixth straight victory, and the Mets’ magic number is to 2.

Strawberry, a cinch to win the home run title, hit his 35th.

Chicago 5-1, Montreal 4-9--Randy Johnson pitched a 6-hitter and struck out 11 at Chicago to give the Expos a split.

Johnson (2-0), the former USC left-hander, lost his shutout in the ninth when Darrin Jackson hit a double and Dave Meier had a single.

In the opener, Rick Sutcliffe (13-13) struck out 11 and became a winner when Jerry Mumphrey hit a two-out, bases-loaded single in the 11th inning.

Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 1--Scott Terry, seeking his eighth consecutive victory as a starter, had a 1-hitter and a 1-0 lead going into the eighth at St. Louis.

But an error and a late throw to third on a sacrifice by first baseman Tony Pena helped the Pirates score 5 runs, only 1 earned, in the eighth.

Pinch-hitter R. J. Reynolds drove in the first 2 runs in the inning for the Pirates with a single.

Terry had 3 of the Cardinals’ 9 hits, all infield singles.