National League Roundup : Scott Is Injured in Astros’ 6-1 Loss

The Houston Astros, battling to overtake the San Francisco Giants in the National League West, elected not to save Mike Scott for Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Instead, they sent the winningest pitcher in the majors after his 15th victory Sunday at Houston against the Montreal Expos.

The move backfired. Not only did the Astros lose, 6-1, and remain two games behind the stumbling Giants, but they watched in alarm as Scott limped off at the end of the third inning holding his left hamstring.

Scott (14-5) suffered the injury in the first inning and will probably miss a turn. He gave up five hits and two runs in three innings.

Meanwhile, Mark Langston (6-2) was brilliant and kept the Expos 1 1/2 games in front in the East. Langston held the Astros to five hits in eight innings and had two hits, driving in two runs.

Hubie Brooks and Mike Aldrete tagged Scott for back-to-back home runs in the second inning and that’s all Langston needed.

“I hurt it against the Mets last week,” Scott said. “But I didn’t think it was serious. When it started hurting early I thought I better get out. I don’t want to miss a month.

“I’m going to the All-Star game, but I don’t think I’m going to pitch. With the three days off and bumping me back, I should be able to start the fifth or sixth game of the trip.”

National League Manager Tom Lasorda said he would consult with league president Bill White before making a decision on Scott.

New York 6, Cincinnati 3--It may be that the Reds have awakened the sleeping Mets. The Mets followed up their Saturday brawl by sweeping the three-game series at New York.

Juan Samuel, one of the Mets most upset when Rob Dibble triggered the battle by hitting the Mets’ Tim Teufel in the back, got a measure of revenge. Samuel tagged Dibble for a two-run homer in the seventh inning when the Mets broke the game open.

The loser was Norm Charlton (3-1), who, along with Dibble, tried to get to Samuel in the Mets’ clubhouse after the game. They were restrained by security guards.

Charlton came in to pitch after the Reds tied the score, 3-3, in the top of the seventh. The only batter he faced, Greg Jeffries, hit a pop fly that fell for a double when center fielder Eric Davis and second baseman Luis Quinones collided.

In came Dibble who gave up the tie-breaking run on an infield out and a sacrifice fly. He then walked pitcher Rick Aguilera and Samuel followed with his ninth home run.

St. Louis 6, San Francisco 4--Left-hander Joe Magrane, able to prevent Kevin Mitchell from hitting one out of Busch Stadium, won his fourth in a row.

Mitchell was one for three and had a sacrifice fly, so he goes into the All-Star game as the major league leader with 31 home runs and 81 runs batted in.

Jose Oquendo and Terry Pendleton continued their torrid hitting to lead the Cardinals to their eighth win in the last 10 games.

Oquendo, 19 for 35 in his last 10 games, had an RBI single in the second, a triple in the fifth and drove in another run with a grounder in the four-run sixth.

Pendleton, 11 for 21 in the last five games, had two doubles.

The temperature was 95 degrees and the Astroturf was 128.

San Diego 5, Pittsburgh 3--As befitting a long reliever, Mark Grant pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Pittsburgh and the Padres rallied to win.

Grant rescued Dennis Rasmussen in the second inning with the Pirates leading, 3-1, and held them at bay until the Padres could regain the lead.

Mark Davis got the last two outs for his 22nd save.

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3--Von Hayes opened the 14th inning at Atlanta with a walk and wound up scoring the winning run when the Braves were unable to turn a double play on Dwayne Murphy’s grounder.

A throwing error by Philadelphia shortstop Dickie Thon enabled the Braves to tie the game in the ninth.