National League Roundup : Rose Is Ill Again; Helms Guides Reds Over Mets

Tommy Helms looked very comfortable behind the manager’s desk. Pete Rose was sick again and with Rose embroiled in controversy, Helms might be in line to manage the Reds.

With Helms managing for the third straight night, Cincinnati beat the New York Mets, 6-4, Wednesday in New York, the Reds’ second victory under Helms.

Rose, the subject of a commissioner’s investigation into alleged baseball betting and a federal grand jury inquiry into tax matters, returned to Cincinnati from Montreal earlier in the day with severe bronchitis and flu symptoms.

Helms, who managed the Reds to a 12-15 record last season while Rose sat out his 30-day suspension for bumping umpire Dave Pallone, was back in command.

“We’re just going to try to do a good job until he gets back Friday,” Helms said.

He spoke with Rose Wednesday morning, and General Manager Murray Cook talked to Rose before the game.

Whatever Rose said and Helms did, it worked. Chris Sabo snapped a 4-4 seventh-inning tie with a sacrifice fly, and Barry Larkin followed with another sacrifice fly, giving the first-place Reds their sixth victory in eight games.

Jose Rijo (2-0) allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings, striking out six. Rob Dibble pitched two hitless innings, and John Franco finished for his ninth save in nine opportunities.

New York lost for the third time in 13 games. Sid Fernandez (3-1) got into trouble early, allowing three runs in the first inning.

Met outfielder Darryl Strawberry hit an inside-the-park home run in the third inning. Kal Daniels misjudged the ball, which bounced off the base of the wall in left field, and then made a poor throw home. It was Strawberry’s seventh homer this season and the second inside-the-park homer of his career.

Montreal 6, Houston 5--Spike Owen hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning to rally the Expos at Montreal.

The Astros took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 11th on Ken Caminiti’s run-scoring single before Montreal came back. Nelson Santovenia singled with one out, then Owen hit a 2-0 pitch from Juan Agosto for his second home run.

Tim Burke (3-1) got the victory. Agosto (0-1) was the sixth Houston pitcher.

Atlanta 6, Philadelphia 3--Rookie John Smoltz pitched a six-hitter and hit his first home run as the Braves ended an eight-game losing streak by beating the Phillies at Atlanta.

Smoltz (4-2) gave up Juan Samuel’s home run to start the game but did not allow another hit until the sixth inning. He struck out nine and walked two.

Smoltz went two for three, and his two-run homer put Atlanta ahead, 3-1, in the fifth.

Dale Murphy and Jeff Blauser also hit home runs for Atlanta. Murphy tied the score, 1-1, with his fifth homer in the second, and Blauser’s first homer led off a three-run seventh.

Chicago 5, San Diego 4--Andre Dawson hit a a tie-breaking triple in the sixth inning and a two-run homer as the Cubs beat the Padres at San Diego.

Ryne Sandberg was hit by a pitch from Mark Grant (0-1) with two out in the sixth. Dawson followed with a triple for a 4-3 Chicago lead, then scored on a single by Mark Grace.

Dawson hit his third home run of the season and 301st of his career in the fourth inning off Dennis Rasmussen.

Pittsburgh 5, San Francisco 3-- Barry Bonds led off the game with a home run, and John Smiley beat the Giants for the second time in five days as the Pirates won at San Francisco.

Kevin Mitchell hit two homers and drove in all three Giant runs. He leads the major leagues with nine home runs and 30 RBIs.

Smiley (3-1) struck out three and walked none in 8 1/3 innings. He is 4-0 in his career against the Giants, including a four-hit shutout four days ago.