National League Roundup : Cubs Rally From a 9-0 Deficit to Beat Astros, 10-9

The Chicago Cubs have been struggling for the last two weeks as their lead in the National League East has dwindled. And when they have won they have usually had to go extra innings.

Even a diehard would not have given the Cubs much of a chance at Wrigley Field Tuesday against the Houston Astros.

After five innings, with the help of Rafael Ramirez’s grand slam, the Astros were ahead, 9-0.

The Cubs not only caught up, they won in the 10th when Dwight Smith singled with the bases loaded. The victory was only the Cubs’ fourth in the last 11 games. Three of the victories have come in extra innings.

Smith was in the game only because Manager Don Zimmer, with his Cubs so far behind, decided it would be a good time to give Andre Dawson and his aching knees a rest.

Two hits and an intentional walk with one out preceded Smith’s game-winning hit.

“We got 30 games left with a 2 1/2-game lead,” Smith said. “But, we can’t get overconfident. It was our biggest victory, but we’ve still a long way to go.”

The Cubs tied it in the eighth with four runs and Paul Assenmacher, recently acquired from Atlanta, pitched the 10th to win it.

“Going from the Braves to the Cubs is my early present from Santa,” Assenmacher said. “I hope there’s more under the tree.”

It was the seventh loss in the last eight games for the Astros.

St. Louis 4, Cincinnati 2--Until this season Joe Magrane was known mostly as a fellow with a good sense of humor who had never quite lived up to his potential.

Even though the St. Louis left-hander won the National League ERA title last season with a 2.18 mark, he won only five games. In two seasons with the Cardinals, the 6-foot-6 former University of Arizona star had only a 14-16 record.

This season Magrane has shown his potential. In fact, there are many who believe he is the league’s best pitcher. Certainly, he is keeping Whitey Herzog’s team in the pennant race in the East.

Magrane gave up a two-run home run to Cincinnati’s Jeff Richardson in the sixth inning at St. Louis but that’s all and the Cardinals won, 4-2, for his seventh consecutive victory.

Magrane, who is the league’s first 18-game winner, has won 13 of his last 14 starts.

The Cardinals scored all their runs in the sixth after former Dodger Tim Leary held them to two hits in five innings. Pedro Guerrero’s single drove in the first run. Terry Pendleton followed with a two-run double that rookie right fielder Rolando Roomes misjudged and Tom Brunansky tripled to make it 4-2.

There were times last season when Herzog referred to Magrane as Migraine.

“This was really, my toughest win of the season,” Magrane said. “I couldn’t get the leadoff guy out. I didn’t put him on with bases on balls, but it seemed that every inning I was pitching from the stretch.”

The Cardinals have won 12 of their last 16 games and remain 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs.

“We got a little lucky out there tonight,” Herzog said. “Leary pitched well. You win when you’re good and lucky.”

Richardson’s home run was his first in the majors and was only the fourth given up by Magrane in 199 innings.

San Diego 2, Montreal 1--Luis Salazar’s infield hit with one out in the ninth inning scored Marvell Wynne from third base with the winning run at San Diego.

It was the sixth win in a row for the Padres and moved them to within six games of the Giants in the West.

Pittsburgh 5, Atlanta 4--Andy Van Slyke drove in two runs and scored another at Pittsburgh as the Pirates overcame two home runs by Oddibe McDowell to win.

Bill Landrum gave up a run-scoring single to Lonnie Smith in the eighth, but went on to get his 19th save.