National League Roundup : Cubs Beat Phillies for 6th Straight

The battle for first place in the Eastern Division of the National League was not going on in St. Louis, where the New York Mets were playing the Cardinals.

It was being fought out at Philadelphia between the Phillies and the Chicago Cubs.

Andre Dawson drove in three runs, and the Cubs beat the Phillies, 6-4, for their sixth consecutive victory. Another fine relief performance by the Cubs’ Mitch Williams enbled them to take a one-game lead over the Phillies.

Williams retired all five batters he faced to save the win for Scott Sanderson, who went 5 1/3 innings in his comeback bid. Williams has saved five games in five attempts.

Sanderson, who missed most of last season with a disk problem, won for the first time as a starter since 1987.

“I didn’t have a curve, slider, changeup, nothing,” Sanderson said. “The ball felt like ice in my hands. And not because of the weather, either.”

New York 9, St. Louis 4--The Mets, batting only .216 before the game, raised their average 12 points and spoiled the Cardinals’ home opener, dropping them into last place.

Gregg Jefferies’ bases-clearing double sparked a seven-run fifth inning to rout Joe Magrane.

David Cone, who lost only three games last season, evened his record at 1-1, although he tired in the late innings.

Montreal 7, Pittsburgh 6--Hot pinch-hitter Wallace Johnson doubled home the winning run in the ninth inning at Pittsburgh after the Expos blew an early lead.

Johnson, who drove in just two runs with 22 pinch-hits last season, has already driven in four runs with two pinch-hits this season.

It was a costly loss for the Pirates. Two regulars, Andy Van Slyke (rib-cage injury) and Sid Bream (knee injury), had to leave the game.

San Diego 6, Cincinnati 5--Jack Clark hit his first home run for the Padres, a three-run shot at San Diego. Luis Salazar’s homer proved to be decisive as the Padres ended a two-game losing streak.

Eric Show went seven innings to improve his record to 2-1. Mark Davis, although he gave up a run in the ninth and had the tying run at third base, earned the save.

Davis has five saves in five chances, same as the Cubs’ Williams.

San Francisco 7, Atlanta 5--Kevin Mitchell hit his fourth home run of the season and drove in three runs at San Francisco to help the Giants take over first place in the West.

Rick Reuschel overcame a rocky start to improve his record to 3-0.