National League West Roundup : Behind Reuschel, Giants Put Damper on Hopes of Scott and Astros, 3-1

This was the game in which Mike Scott was supposed to clinch the Cy Young Award and keep the Houston Astros’ slim pennant hopes alive.

But Scott (20-10) was outpitched by 40-year-old Rick Reuschel (17-7) Saturday in San Francisco, and the Giants moved a step closer to the title in the National League West with a 3-1 victory.

The win kept the Giants five games in front of the San Diego Padres and reduced their magic number to three. Houston fell seven games back. Another defeat or a Giant victory eliminates the Astros.

The score was 1-1 in the sixth when Matt Williams, who went into the game in a with a 10-for-72 slump, followed a single by Ken Oberkfell with his 17th home run of the season. Oberkfell was playing first base in place of Will Clark, still recovering from his recent collision with Dodger catcher Mike Scioscia. Oberkfell drove in the first Giant run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.

Clark, who had played in 391 consecutive games, might be available to pinch-hit today.

Reuschel, who had not won since Sept. 2, gave up seven hits and lost his shutout when Scott hit a home run, his second--and first since July 31, 1985. It was Reuschel’s second complete game of the season.

In his three previous starts, Reuschel had two no-decisions and a loss.

But in this game, except for the pitch to Scott, he was in complete charge. He walked only two and struck out seven.

In six innings, Scott gave up six hits, walked three and struck out five.

“It would definitely be tough to beat the Giants now,” Manager Art Howe of the Astros said. “I should tip my hat to them. It shows a lot of character to win games like they have lately.”

Manager Roger Craig of the Giants said that he nearly benched Williams.

“Matt has a chance to run into one every time,” Craig said. “And he ran into that one real good. I almost didn’t start him against a tough right-hander, but then I decided I wanted my best defense out there.”

Usually when Scott faces the Giants, Craig points out the scuffed baseballs. But after this game, Scott praised the Giants.

“The Giants have really hung in there,” he said. “The Padres can’t play much better than they have, but the Giants have held everyone off. They don’t have to do much to win it now.”

The crowd of 41,221 increased the Giants’ home attendance to 2,008,958, the first time the club has drawn 2 million.

Cincinnati 11, Atlanta 5--The Reds battled back at Atlanta after the Braves rocked Tom Browning for five runs in five innings.

Paul O’Neill drove in four runs, and pinch-hitter Barry Larkin singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning.

Although he pitched only one inning of relief, Norm Charlton (7-3) was the winner.

Norm Lemke hit a home run in the second for Atlanta, and Ron Gant’s homer in the third put the Braves in front.

The Reds announced that Rob Dibble, their hard-throwing relief pitcher who seems to thrive on controversy, has been suspended indefinitely for insubordination.

Dibble was suspended earlier by the league for throwing a bat against a backstop screen.