NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cardinals’ Magrane Finally Breaks the Ice, 4-0

Joe Magrane and Mike Scott were as good as any pitchers in the National League last season. Magrane, despite not winning in the last five weeks, won 18 last season and Scott won 20.

Both of them have pitched poorly. The two right-handers, who had lost nine games between them, opposed each other Tuesday night at St. Louis.

Magrane, who had failed to win in his previous 13 starts, pitched a four-hitter and the Cardinals beat Scott and the Houston Astros, 4-0.

Magrane, who had lost six decisions in his seven starts this season, was in command from start to finish.

Scott’s miseries continued. His record fell to 1-4. In five innings he gave up eight hits and all the Cardinals runs.

Willie McGee had three singles, scored twice and drove in a run for the Cardinals, who won for only the fourth time in 11 games.

Magrane had an earned-run average of 2.91 last season, while Scott’s was 3.10. Going into this game Magrane had a 6.45 ERA, having given up 27 runs in 37 2/3 innings.

Magrane, who gave up seven runs in his previous start last Thursday, was a late replacement for John Tudor. Tudor (4-1) complained of stiffness in his left shoulder.

The first complete game by a Cardinal pitcher this season was the sixth time in a row they have beaten Scott.

“I knew what was wrong,” Magrane said. “I was trying too hard. I was trying too hard to get the ball down. I’ve finally straightened it out just by throwing strikes.”

Chicago 12, Atlanta 2--Andre Dawson is trying to get the Cubs straightened out by himself.

Dawson hit two two-run home runs at Atlanta to support the relief pitching of Jeff Pico. Pico, recently up from the minors, gave up one hit in six innings for his first victory.

Dawson, who leads the league with 11 home runs, has had 31 multi-home run games. He also hit two home runs last Tuesday against the Braves.

Dawson has hit 32 home runs against the Braves, 23 of them in Atlanta.

Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 4--When Todd Benzinger singled with the bases loaded in the 11th inning at Cincinnati, it gave the Reds their best start in modern history.

The 23-7 record is the best in the majors. In 1970, the Reds were 22-8.

Chris Sabo’s one-out single started the winning rally. Two walks loaded the bases.

The Reds trailed, 4-3, after Don Slaught’s pinch home run in the top of the ninth. A triple by Billy Hatcher and Benzinger’s sacrifice fly sent it into overtime against Pirate reliever Bill Landrum.

It was only the second time in eight chances that Landrum failed to hold the lead.

Philadelphia 2, San Diego 1--Ricky Jordan and Carmelo Martinez hit consecutive home runs in the fifth inning at San Diego and the Phillies made it stand up.

Rodger McDowell disposed of Tony Gwynn and Roberto Alomar with they tying run in scoring position in the ninth to get his eighth save.

Martinez, a former Padre who signed as a free agent with the Phillies last winter, hit his fourth home run to make a loser out of Dennis Rasmussen.

San Francisco 6, New York 5--Gary Carter, blamed for many of the Mets’ problems last season, stung his former mates in this game at San Francisco.

Carter doubled in the winning run in the eighth inning to give the Giants their second victory in a row over the Mets.

Terry Kennedy earlier hit a grand slam for the Giants.

Steve Bedrosian worked a scoreless ninth for the save.