National League Roundup : Walton’s Streak Reaches 30, but Cubs Lose to Astros

Jerome Walton extended his hitting streak to 30 games and Ryne Sandberg hit two more home runs, but the Chicago Cubs could not stem their skid.

Kevin Bass, coming back from a broken leg, hit a grand slam off Mitch Williams with one out in the ninth inning Sunday at Houston to give the Astros an 8-4 victory.

The second home run of the game by Bass and only his third of the season gave the Astros a sweep of the three-game series and kept them two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the West. Bass, a switch-hitter, hit one from each side of the plate.

Bass, who suffered the broken leg May 27, rejoined the Astros Aug. 11. The left fielder, who feared he might not return to the lineup, has had five consecutive multihit games.

“I often worried that I would never play again,” he said. “When I did return I had to put ice packs on the leg between innings. I just started feeling comfortable at the plate.

“It was a fractured tibia. At first they said it would be four weeks. Pretty soon it was eight weeks and it still hurt. I wondered if I would play again. I feel better about it finally.”

Bass is 12 for 22 in the last five games and was eight for 14 in the sweep of the Cubs. He has raised his average to .313.

Walton beat out an infield hit to open the game for the Cubs, who lost their third straight but remained 2 1/2 games ahead of New York in the East.

Sandberg’s second home run and 24th of the season tied the score in the top of the ninth. But, after Rafael Ramirez was walked by Les Lancaster to open the bottom of the ninth, Williams, the league leader in saves, was summoned.

For the second time in the series, he had problems. He walked Craig Reynolds, then hit Gerald Young to fill the bases. He struck out Bill Doran on a 3-and-2 pitch but Bass homered on his next pitch, extending the Astros’ winning streak to four games.

San Francisco 5, Philadelphia 2--Terry Mulholland’s performance Saturday at Philadelphia put the Giants’ trade with the Phillies for bullpen ace Steve Bedrosian in a bad light.

That light was even darker after Dennis Cook, also sent to the Phillies in the deal, held the Giants to a run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings and seemed on his way to victory.

But in a wild ninth inning, Ernest Riles, hoping for a single with the bases loaded and two out, hit a grand slam to give the Giants the victory.

Roger McDowell, trying to protect Cook’s 2-1 lead, walked Brett Butler to open the inning. Greg Litton bunted and was thrown out by first baseman Ricky Jordan. But Litton was awarded first on an obstruction play because McDowell, trying to get out of Jordan’s way, bumped Litton.

“I knew I bumped somebody,” McDowell said, “but I didn’t know it was a Giant.”

McDowell struck out Will Clark, then hit Kevin Mitchell. He retired Matt Williams for what would have been the last out before Riles allowed the Giants keep their two-game lead in the West.

San Diego 5, Montreal 2--Ed Whitson was not wondering when he would win again, but when he would pitch again.

Saturday he had a virus, but when he realized the Expos are in a slump, he decided to take the mound at Montreal.

He lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up four hits, and improved to 15-9. It was his first victory since July 25.

“I’m lucky I could pitch at all,” Whitson said. “I was up at five. My legs began stiffening a bit and I was getting weak. I couldn’t go any farther.”

Mark Davis took over and gave up the final run, but earned his 31st save.

St. Louis 8, Cincinnati 1--Experts have been saying for a couple of years that the Cardinals have a potential star in catcher Todd Zeile out of UCLA. The Cardinals brought Zeile up from the minors for this weekend series at Cincinnati.

The Cardinals like what they have seen. Zeile hit a home run to lead off a six-run fourth inning that enabled Jose DeLeon (13-11) to win easily. In three games, Zeile is four for nine.

Tom Brunansky hit a two-run home run in the fourth. He has 17 home runs and seems a cinch to hit 20 for the eighth consecutive season.

Pittsburgh 7, Atlanta 6--Billy Hatcher might not be happy about being traded to the lowly Pirates, but he isn’t showing it.

Hatcher, acquired from the contending Houston Astros for Glenn Wilson Friday, homered, singled and scored twice at Atlanta.

Although he gave up a two-run home run to Andres Thomas in the ninth, Bill Landrum got his 18th save.