National League Roundup : Maddux Manages to Make a Difference in Cub Win

At this point last year, Greg Maddux was practically unbeatable. He had a 15-3 record and was selected for the National League squad in the All-Star game. Because Manager Don Zimmer chose to pitch Maddux on the previous Sunday, he didn’t get in the game.

Everything went downhill after that. The Chicago Cubs’ talented right-hander finished 18-8 and now he wonders if he’ll ever get another chance in the midseason game.

Thursday in Chicago, Maddux struggled through six innings but managed to improve his record to 8-7 when the Cubs defeated the San Diego Padres, 7-3, to sweep their three-game series.

Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson, both selected to play for the NL All-Stars Tuesday night at Anaheim Stadium, and Shawon Dunston, who wasn’t, hit home runs to pace the Cubs’ offense.

“It’s no secret, I was all over the place today,” Maddux said. “I’d be the first one to say I didn’t pitch well.

“My record isn’t anything like it was a year ago, but I’ve kept my team in all but two of the 18 games I’ve pitched. If I keep them in the game for six or seven innings, then I feel I’ve done the job.

“Mainly, I want to avoid the slump I went into in the second half of last season.”

Dawson, whose wife is expecting, would prefer to rest his aching knee, but he’ll go to the All-Star game for the sixth time.

While Maddux hopes to be selected again sometime, Cub reliever Mitch Williams was glad to be chosen. He earned his 21st save with two shutout innings.

“I wasn’t really concerned about it,” Williams said of his selection, “but, yes, I’m excited about going. I worked for it.”

Sandberg, who hit his 11th home run, received the most votes for second base in the league and will be in the starting lineup.

San Francisco 2, Pittsburgh 1--Most of left-hander John Smiley’s luck has been bad lately.

At Pittsburgh, he lost the game in the 10th when Brett Butler, after missing a bunt try, hit his third home run of the season to break a tie.

Smiley had a 1-0 lead until Robby Thompson homered in the eighth to tie the game. Smiley (7-4) has given up only three runs and 12 hits in his last 19 innings, but has lost twice. In his previous outing, the Dodgers beat him, 1-0.

Manager Roger Craig gave an assist to Manager Tom Lasorda of the Dodgers for the victory that increased the Giants’ lead in the West to two games.

“He didn’t pick Brett or Robby for the All-Star game, and they took it out on the Pirates,” Craig said.

Butler said he didn’t expect to go but thought it was a shame that second baseman Thompson isn’t going. Thompson is batting .276, has 10 home runs and 29 runs batted in.

All-Star pitcher Rick Reuschel didn’t get his 13th victory, but the veteran right-hander warmed up for Tuesday night’s game by holding the Pirates to a run and seven hits in seven innings.

Cincinnati 10, New York 2--Danny Jackson, just off the disabled list, was sharp, rookie David West was not, and the Reds breezed to victory in New York.

Jackson (6-9) held the Mets to three hits in six innings. West, counted on to take up some of the slack after the injury to Dwight Gooden, gave up seven runs in four innings.

Luis Quinones, batting only .213, hit two home runs off West, and Rolando Roomes hit a two-run homer.

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 0--Left-hander Bruce Ruffin had a 7.89 earned-run average going into the game at Atlanta. In his best outing in a long time, he got all but one out in the shutout victory.

Dwayne Murphy hit a two-run home run in a four-run sixth inning that enabled Ruffin to improve his record to 2-3.