National League Roundup : Smiley’s 4-Hitter Lifts Pirates Past Giants, 1-0

John Smiley pitched six hitless innings en route to a four-hit shutout as the Pittsburgh Pirates ended their four-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants Friday night at Pittsburgh.

“That was a masterpiece,” Pirate Manager Jim Leyland said.

The only run of the game scored when San Francisco’s Rick Reuschel (3-2) walked Glenn Wilson with the bases loaded in the sixth.

The Giants had seven baserunners as Smiley walked two and the Pirates made an error. He lost the no-hitter when Will Clark opened the seventh inning by lining a clean single to center on a 1-and-2 pitch.

Clark had been 0 for 15 in his career against the 24-year-old left-hander.

“What makes him so nasty?” Clark said. “First of all, he throws 93 or 94 miles per hour. Then he has an excellent slider, curve and changeup, and he had good location on all of them. He pitched very well.”

After Clark was doubled off first on a line drive back to Smiley, Candy Maldonado singled. But Matt Williams popped out.

In the ninth, Robby Thompson led off with a single, but Smiley got the heart of the Giants order--Clark, Kevin Mitchell and Maldonado--to end the game.

“He gave up the hit and he picked it right back up,” Leyland said. “He had a big challenge in front of him in the ninth. He definitely earned this game.”

Smiley said he started the game throwing a lot of changeups. Later, he relied more on his fastball.

“I reached back and decided to let it go,” Smiley said. “Jim Leyland always preaches that you shouldn’t get beat on your second-or third-best pitch. If I get beat, I’m going to get beat with my best stuff.”

Smiley, 2-1, pitched a one-hitter last June 3 against Montreal.

New York 7, Houston 3--Keith Hernandez hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs at Houston as the Mets won their fifth straight.

The home run was only Hernandez’s third in 262 career at-bats in the Astrodome.

Sid Fernandez (3-0) went six innings, giving up three runs on four hits while walking four and striking out two.

Rick Rhoden (0-2) went four innings, giving up four runs on six hits.

Chicago 3, San Diego 1--Paul Kilgus allowed three hits over 8 2/3 innings and Ryne Sandberg hit a two-run homer as the Cubs won at Chicago to end the Padres’ four-game winning streak.

Kilgus (2-2) walked three and struck out three and allowed just a sixth-inning single by Randy Ready and a ninth-inning hits by Jack Clark and Luis Salazar.

Kilgus was relieved by Mitch Williams, who picked Carmelo Martinez off second for the final out to post his seventh save in eight opportunities.

Cincinnati 3, Philadelphia 0-- Kal Daniels, Paul O’Neill and Eric Davis hit solo homers and Jose Rijo pitched six shutout innings at Philadelphia as the Reds beat the Phillies for their third consecutive victory.

Rijo (1-0) gave up three hits, struck out four, walked two and did not allow a runner past second base. John Franco pitched the ninth to gain his seventh save.

Don Carman (1-3) allowed all three homers, and has given up a league-leading nine this season. Daniels led off the game with his first homer of the season, and O’Neill hit his third in the second. In the third, Davis connected for his fifth home run of the season and 17th of his career against the Phillies.

Montreal 10, Atlanta 4-- Tim Raines hit a bases-loaded triple in the fifth inning and Andres Galarraga drove in four runs as the Expos defeated the Braves at Montreal.

The Braves held a 2-1 lead until the fifth, when the Expos, who had lost five of their previous six games, rallied against John Smoltz (3-2). The outburst began with Nelson Santovenia’s one-out double and a walk to Spike Owen.

Smoltz then fielded a sacrifice bunt attempt by Gross, but made a wide throw to third baseman Ron Gant for an error that filled the bases.

Raines, with only three hits in 29 previous at-bats at Olympic Stadium this season, hit a 3-and-2 pitch to right-center to clear the bases.