National League Roundup : No Dawson: Cubs Lose Four in Row

Either the pitchers are outstanding in the National League or the hitters are way behind schedule. Whatever the reason, runs are difficult to come by.

The Chicago Cubs seemed to score at will until last Sunday, when right fielder Andre Dawson suffered a knee injury. Dawson had to have surgery and will be sidelined for at least a month.

Now, the Cubs have to struggle like everyone else--play impeccable defense and hope for a run.

Houston’s Gerald Young singled after an error by third baseman Vance Law, bringing in Rafael Ramirez in the eighth inning to give Bob Knepper and the Astros a 1-0 victory Saturday at Chicago.

The Cubs have lost four games in a row, scoring a total of six runs.

The Cubs’ Greg Maddux gave up only three hits, but two came in the eighth. Knepper, with bullpen help, also pitched a three-hitter.

Young sparked the light-hitting Astros to victory Friday, when he stole home for the first run and singled in the second run during a 3-1 victory. The Cubs’ only run came on a double steal.

“If Law gets the out on Terry Puhl, that’s two out,” Cub Manager Don Zimmer said of Saturday’s loss, “and we might be going all night. We certainly wouldn’t have pitched to Young.”

It was only the second time in seven decisions that Knepper had won at Wrigley Field. His previous victory was on May 7, 1981.

“If I have to wait another eight years,” Knepper said, “I’ll be out of baseball. I’ve never pitched well in this park. I needed the win.”

New York 4, San Diego 3--Although Dave Magadan has pinch-hit throughout a career that began in Little League, this game marked a first.

With two out and the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Magadan hit a pinch single to win the game.

“I could learn to enjoy these moments,” the utility infielder said. “I’ve never done it before in my career.”

It was the second game in a row in which a Met pitcher seemed to have everything under control but blew a lead. Friday night, when Dwight Gooden fell apart in the ninth, the Padres prevailed in extra innings.

The Mets’ David Cone was working on a two-hitter and a 3-1 lead going into the seventh. But two-out, run-scoring singles by Benito Santiago and Garry Templeton brought the Padres even. In the 11th, Kevin McReynolds opened with a single off Greg Harris. McReynolds broke up a double play on Len Dykstra’s hard bunt before Keith Hernandez singled Dykstra to third. Magadan, one for 16 pinch-hitting the last two years, then won it for Randy Myers (3-1), who worked two shutout innings.

With catcher Gary Carter on the disabled list, catcher Mackey Sasser had a double and a home run for the Mets.

Montreal 5, San Francisco 4--Shortstop Spike Owen is better known as a glove man than as a hitter, but he may soon command a little respect.

Although Owen hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning at Montreal to pull the Expos even, he failed to impress Giant Manager Roger Craig.

In the bottom of the ninth with two out and first base open, Craig had Atlee Hammaker pitch to Owen, who responded with a single to give the Expos the victory.

“It doesn’t bother you as much when Andres Galarraga or Tim Wallach hit home runs,” Craig said. “You just don’t expect big hits out of Spike Owen. He’s no Babe Ruth.”

Owen’s hitting helped end the Giants’ five-game winning streak and gave Tim Burke (4-1), who pitched two shutout innings of relief, the victory.

Injuries are mounting for the Expos. Second baseman Damaso Garcia and catcher Nelson Santovenia went on the 15-day disabled list.

Pittsburgh 8, Atlanta 3--Bob Walk is not just becoming the Pirates’ most dependable pitcher, he’s also turning into one of the team’s better hitters.

Walk pitched and batted the Pirates to victory at Atlanta. In winning his third game in a row to improve his record to 4-2, Walk had two hits and drove in three runs.

The first two games of the string were complete games, but in this one, Bob Kipper took over in the eighth. He came in after hot-hitting Lonnie Smith hit a three-run homer to end Walk’s shutout bid. Smith also had a couple of singles.

Walk began his string with a four-hitter April 30 against San Francisco. Walk had two hits in that game and drove in a run.

Cincinnati 3, St. Louis 2--Although it was 1984 when Jose Rijo first appeared on the major league scene with the New York Yankees, he’s still a youngster.

By way of celebrating his 24th birthday, the hard-throwing right-hander from the Dominican Republic improved his record to 4-0 with a sharp performance at St. Louis.

Rijo held the Cardinals hitless until two were out in the fifth inning. He needed relief help in the seventh.

Shortstop Ozzie Smith, who had his contract extended through 1991, singled in the Cardinals’ second run in the eighth, but John Franco finished up for his 12th save in his 12th opportunity.

The win moved the Reds back into first place in the West.