NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Phillies Get Rid of Charlton, but It Doesn’t Help Against Reds

The Philadelphia Phillies were having almost no success batting against Norm Charlton Friday night at Cincinnati--but they found a way to get rid of him.

When Charlton came to bat in the sixth inning, relief pitcher Dennis Cook hit him in the back with a fastball.

As home plate umpire Bob Davidson started out to the mound to warn Cook, Charlton sneaked around him, charged the mound and started swinging. Everybody from both benches got into the act, and Cook and Charlton were ejected.

“Cook was almost upon me when I got around the umpire,” Charlton said. “He tackled me and we both wound up at the bottom of the pile.”

The Reds were leading at the time, and Rob Dibble came out of the bullpen to pitch three hitless innings in a 5-1 victory that increased their lead in the National League West to nine games.

It was the second start for Charlton (8-4), who gave up two hits in six innings. He retired the first 14 batters and lost his shutout when pinch-hitter Dave Hollins homered in the sixth.

Charlton said he should have expected it, but he didn’t appreciate it at the time.

“Cook is a friend of mine,” Charlton said. “We pitched against each other in college. He has to do what he has to do.

“I hit Von Hayes the first time, and he had to protect him. That’s what he was doing.”

New York 6, Atlanta 1--Sid Fernandez (6-6) struck out seven batters in a row in one stretch at New York and had a no-hitter until Greg Olson opened the sixth inning with a single to left.

Howard Johnson drove in three runs for the Mets, who didn’t break the game open until they scored three runs in the eighth. It gave them 22 wins in their last 29 games, but they are still 1 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh in the East.

Chicago 5, San Francisco 4--Before the All-Star break, Jeff Brantley was a near-perfect closer. In 15 opportunities, he protected leads for the Giants 14 times.

But Brantley, after being the losing pitcher in the All-Star game, has not been as dependable. At Chicago, the Giants brought in Brantley to protect a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning. For the second time in his last four chances, he didn’t do it.

Brantley gave up a double to Gary Varsho and run-scoring singles to Shawon Dunston and Joe Girardi. Girardi’s hit came after Dunston stole second and Brantley balked him to third.

St. Louis 4, San Diego 2--Willie McGee is having a poor season in center field, but he is the leader of the Cardinals’ offense.

McGee had a single and a two-run double at St. Louis to help John Tudor improve to 8-3.

McGee, who has hit safely in 13 consecutive games, is batting .326.

Houston 12, Montreal 6--Glenn Wilson knocked in three runs, two of them in a six-run second inning, as the Astros improved their home record to 28-20 and dropped the Expos six games behind in the East.

The situation became so desperate for the Expos that outfielder Dave Martinez and infielder Junior Noboa did some pitching in the eighth inning.