National League Roundup : Amid Pirates’ Misery, Smiley Remains Tower of Pitching Strength

There have not been many pleasant moments for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season. Injuries, tough losses and pitching problems have dominated the early going.

An exception has been John Smiley, the left-hander who won 13 games last season, his first as a starter. Every time out Smiley has kept the Pirates in the game.

Smiley pitched an eight-hitter Tuesday night at Atlanta and, with Glenn Wilson hitting a two-run home run, the Pirates defeated the Braves, 5-2.

The third complete game improved Smiley’s record to 5-1, although it was only the Pirates’ 17th victory in 41 games.

This was Smiley’s ninth start. He lost his first assignment of the season, 3-2. Since then the Pirates have won every time the 24-year-old has started except for an extra-inning loss.

Smiley, 6-feet-4, has a 95-m.p.h. fastball. Until last season, he was strictly a thrower.

“When I got in trouble, I just threw harder,” Smiley said. “Now, I’m working on a curve and a changeup and I feel I’m becoming a pitcher.

“I’m lucky that I’ve got a good arm and worked at it and good things have happened for me. I’ve kept the attitude that you should work hard, let things come to you and not get too high. As soon as you start acting cocky or like you’re better than the hitters, you’ll get hit hard.”

Smiley gave up a home run in the first inning to Jeff Blauser, then settled down until the ninth. He gave up a run, cutting his lead to 5-2, and the Braves loaded the bases with two out. Last season bullpen ace Jim Gott would have come in for the save; with Gott injured, it was up to Smiley.

“I reached back for something extra,” Smiley said. “I’m learning how to pitch in those situations.”

He ended the game by getting Bruce Benedict to ground into a force out.

Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 4--Danny Jackson is happier with his hitting than with his pitching. He singled in two runs at Cincinnati, but scored only his third victory in 10 decisions thanks to excellent relief pitching by Rob Dibble.

Jackson, a 23-game winner last season, his first in the National League, won the Reds’ opener, but this was only his second victory since.

The left-hander, given a 6-0 lead in the first three innings, was chased during a three-run sixth inning. Dibble came in with the bases loaded and one out. He struck out Terry Pendleton, then Tony Pena popped out to end the threat.

In the eighth inning, Dibble lost his cool and was ejected.

After giving up a hit, he grabbed a bat and flung it against the screen behind home plate. Manager Pete Rose said Dibble faces disciplinary action.

Dibble’s action didn’t hurt the Reds. They brought in John Franco, who retired the last five Cardinals. Franco has 14 saves in 14 opportunities.

Chris Sabo of the Reds hit a two-run home run, his first since July 19, 1988.

Chicago 5, Houston 4--It was a meeting of two hot right-handers at Houston, but neither Scott Sanderson of the Cubs nor Mike Scott of the Astros made it through the sixth inning.

Winner Sanderson (5-2) received shutout relief from Pat Perry and Calvin Schiraldi. It was Sanderson’s third victory in a row, but the Cubs gave him a 5-0 lead and he gave all but a run back before Perry rescued him in the sixth.

Scott (6-3) gave up a two-run home run to Shawon Dunston in the second inning, then needed help in the sixth.

Perry only pitched two-thirds of an inning before Schiraldi took over. Schiraldi has not given up a run in his last 19 2/3 innings of relief.

San Francisco 4, Montreal 2--Will Clark hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning at San Francisco and Rick Reuschel became the National League’s first eight-game winner.

The home run by the league’s leading hitter gave Reuschel (8-2) a 4-0 lead. When Reuschel faltered in the eighth, Mike LaCoss came on to get his fifth save.

Only one Expo run was earned. Reuschel has given up only three earned runs in the last 47 innings.

San Diego 3, New York 2--Eric Show, with last-out help from Mark Davis, beat the Mets for the first time in eight decisions, at San Diego.

An error in the ninth enabled the Mets to score their last run, but Davis got Kelvin Elster on a pop foul with two on to end it.