National League Roundup : Reds Come Up Blank Again, 7-0

The Cincinnati Reds figured to be one of the best hitting teams in the National League. Suddenly, however, they suddenly can’t score runs.

Even returning home didn’t help. After being shut out in their last two games at Dodger Stadium, the Reds were shut out, 7-0, Friday night by pitcher Jim Deshaies and the Houston Astros.

Deshaies pitched a four-hitter, didn’t walk a batter and struck out nine. Two of the hits were infield singles by Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. Davis also had a double, and the other hit was a single by Chris Sabo.

The Reds, shut out 14 times last season, started their runless streak against Tim Belcher Tuesday night, getting four hits and no walks as Belcher struck out 10.

Wednesday night, the Reds had five hits and no walks and struck out four times against four Dodger pitchers.

The Astros made it easy for Deshaies, knocking Rick Mahler out in the sixth after scoring five times. Mahler had allowed just one earned run in 22 innings and was leading the league in earned-run average.

Chicago 8, New York 4--All last season, when he had a 13-14 record, Rick Sutcliffe didn’t win consecutive games.

Although he didn’t pitch exceptionally well, Sutcliffe became the first National League pitcher to win four games this season.

Met pitcher Bob Ojeda (0-3) gave up six runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Sutcliffe (4-0), who lasted 7 1/3 innings, had a 6-1 lead before he started getting into real trouble.

San Diego 5, Atlanta 3--Benito Santiago’s two-run double was the big hit in a four-run eighth inning at Atlanta that brought the Padres from behind and gave Bruce Hurst his second victory.

The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when Dale Murphy hit a two-run home run to become Atlanta’s all-time home run hitter with 336. Hank Aaron had just 335 of his 755 home runs while with Atlanta.

St. Louis 1, Montreal 0--Jose DeLeon pitched a two-hitter at St. Louis to improve his record to 3-1.

Johnny Morris hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth after Pedro Guerrero opened the inning with a double.

Pascual Perez held the Cardinals to five hits in eight innings before Tim Burke lost it in the ninth.

Philadelphia 3, Pittsburgh 2--Floyd Youmans went 6 2/3 innings at Pittsburgh to win his first game for the Phillies, and Tommy Herr drove in two runs, including the winning one.

Juan Samuel, playing in just his second full game after coming off the disabled list, had three hits and scored twice for the Phillies.

Barry Bonds homered for the Pirates, who have lost five times in the last eight games.