National League Roundup : Day at the Improv: Giants Beat Astros, 7-0

The New York Mets lose their best pitcher, Dwight Gooden, and they struggle to stay in the race in the National League East.

The San Francisco Giants lose most of their pitching staff, and they continue on their merry way through the West.

Among the pitchers Manager Roger Craig has lost because of injuries: Rick Reuschel, the first to win 13 games in the major leagues this season, plus Mike Krukow, Kelly Downs, Atlee Hammaker, Dave Dravecky and Scott Garrelts.

But Craig always seems able to find pitchers who can win, especially at home.

With Mike LaCoss, shelled last week in Houston, holding the Astros to four hits in seven innings Saturday at Candlestick Park, the Giants won, 7-0, and extended their lead over Houston to three games.

The Giants are 36-15 at Candlestick, best home record in the majors.

On a healthy staff, LaCoss would probably be coming out of the bullpen. But Craig has had to improvise. Today, when the Giants go for a sweep and a four-game lead, Craig will start left-hander Bob Knepper, who was released last week by the Astros. Knepper is 4-10 with an earned-run average of 5.89.

Meanwhile, the Giants treated Houston’s pitching ace Mike Scott with disdain. Scott (17-6), trying to become the majors’ first 18-game winner, couldn’t make it through the fifth inning and left trailing, 6-0.

Brett Butler was in a six-for-47 slump when he tagged Scott for a home run in the third inning. Butler also triggered a four-run fifth with a double.

Terry Kennedy, benched recently for not hitting, doubled home a run in the fourth, and Jose Uribe emerged from a slump with a two-run single.

Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 2--The Cubs pulled out a victory at Pittsburgh and pulled into a tie with Montreal for first place in the East, but it might have been a costly one.

After Shawon Dunston’s single barely inside the right-field line drove in the tie-breaking run in a three-run ninth, the Cubs sent their relief ace, Mitch Williams, out to save it.

He got the first out, but Jeff King hit a line drive that nailed Williams above the left ear and knocked him off his feet.

Manager Don Zimmer and Cub trainers raced onto the field. Williams rose quickly, however, and insisted he was all right. Williams, who suffered a cut on the ear, was taken out of the game, and Les Lancaster came in to earn his fourth save.

Williams has given up only one run in his last 22 appearances and has 28 saves.

New York 3, Montreal 2--With left-hander Mark Langston on the mound for the Expos in New York, the Mets kept slumping Darryl Strawberry on the bench.

When Langston, leading, 2-1, gave way to right-hander Tim Burke, Strawberry’s pinch double in the eighth tied the score, and Strawberry scored the winning run on Kevin Elster’s single.

Ron Darling (9-9) went the distance to put the Mets five games behind the Expos and the Chicago Cubs, who are tied for the East lead.

Before the game, Strawberry said he will not talk to reporters the rest of the season because he is being blamed unfairly for Met problems. Kevin McReynolds, who hit his 11th homer, also isn’t talking.

Philadelphia 7, St. Louis 3--The inability to beat the lowly Phillies is keeping the Cardinals from challenging the top clubs in the East.

Ricky Jordan, who is batting .361 against the Cardinals this season, hit a three-run home run off Jose DeLeon (11-10) at St. Louis, and the Phillies improved their record over the Cardinals to 7-4.

DeLeon, who had won three in a row, is 0-3 against the Phillies.

Atlanta 7, Cincinnati 1--Darrell Evans hit his eighth homer to break a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning at Cincinnati in a game that was delayed one hour by rain.