NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Undefeated Reds Rout Braves

It appears that only the weather can cause problems for the Cincinnati Reds these days.

After a rainout Friday night, the Reds defeated the Atlanta Braves, 8-1, Saturday at Cincinnati.

It was a club-record ninth consecutive victory at the start of a season for the Reds, the only major league team still unbeaten.

The next goal is the major league record of 13 shared by the Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. Four of the nine victories have been against the Braves, who are 1-8. In this one, the Braves made four errors to make the Reds’ task easier.

Six walks in 5 1/3 innings by starter Marty Clary helped the Reds build a 6-1 lead after six innings.

Jack Armstrong, who usually starts the season slowly, has benefited from the Reds’ fast start. He went six innings, giving up five hits and striking out seven to improve his record to 3-0. Last year he won only two of five decisions before being shipped back to the minors.

Armstrong has allowed only two runs in his three starts and has an earned-run average of 0.95.

Barry Larkin, the major leagues’ leading hitter, went one for four and his average dropped from .600 to .564. But he drove in two runs with a single.

“It’s made it tough on us,” Atlanta Manager Russ Nixon said. “They haven’t lost and it seems like we’ve been playing them the whole season. That was about the sloppiest game we have played. You can say we beat ourselves. It’s simple.”

New York 5, Montreal 4--The only time the Mets have resembled a contender this season is when Frank Viola pitches.

Viola, somewhat of a disappointment late last season after he was obtained from Minnesota for three pitching prospects, is pitching very effectively.

Before tiring in the ninth at New York, Viola pitched his third strong game in a row, and with John Franco getting the last out, improved his record to 3-0. Without Viola pitching, the Mets are 2-7.

Darryl Strawberry hit a two-run home run and Kevin Elster broke out of a slump and hit a two-run homer.

Elster, benched after going two for 36, was hitless in 18 at-bats. He hit a double in the fifth, then hit his home run in the seventh.

Spike Owen, who has 14 hits, including eight for extra bases, ended Viola’s shutout string at 24 innings (dating back to last season) with a run-scoring double in the fifth. He also doubled in two runs in the ninth to chase Viola.

Pittsburgh 4, Chicago 3--Third base on the Pirates is a good position to play if you want to hit.

On Friday at Chicago, Bobby Bonilla played his first game this season at third and hit two home runs. On Saturday, Jeff King was at third.

King hit his first home run and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.

John Smiley had a 4-0 lead and a three-hitter going into the eighth, but gave up three quick hits. Bill Landrum came in and stopped the Cub rally.

The Pirates’ Barry Bonds was ejected in the ninth for arguing a called third strike.

San Francisco 6, San Diego 4--Jack Clark has been getting big hits for the Padres in this series, but in this game at San Diego, it was Will Clark’s turn.

Clark helped the Giants build a 6-1 lead for Mike LaCoss, who has won three of the four Giant victories. LaCoss had a one-hitter until the seventh when the Padres rallied. Jeff Brantley relieved and pitched two scoreless innings. Steve Bedrosian pitched the ninth for his first save.

Philadelphia 7, St. Louis 6--Pedro Guerrero hit a grand slam in the third inning at St. Louis, but most of the news in the 10-inning loss was not good.

The Cardinals, already without bullpen ace Todd Worrell for half the season, lost one of their top pitchers, Jose DeLeon, because of back spasms in the second inning. They also are without shortstop Ozzie Smith because of a groin injury.

The Phillies’ Ricky Jordan and John Kruk singled in runs in the top of the 10th.

BEST STARTS

Record Team Year 13-0 Milwaukee Brewers 1987 13-0 Atlanta Braves 1982x 11-0 Oakland A’s 1981x 10-0 Brooklyn Dodgers 1955z 10-0 Pittsburgh Pirates 1962 10-0 Cleveland Indians 1966 9-0 Cincinnati Reds 1990 9-0 New York Giants 1918 9-0 Brooklyn Dodgers 1940 9-0 St. Louis Browns 1944y 9-0 Detroit Tigers 1984z 8-0 Philadelphia Phillies 1915y 8-0 Cincinnati Reds 1980 8-0 Chicago White Sox 1982

x--won division

y-won pennant

z-won World Series