NATIONAL LEAGUE : Garrelts Misses No-Hitter by One Out

For the San Francisco Giants this season, it has been a case of as Scott Garrelts goes, so goes the team.

Garrelts, who was the earned-run average leader (2.28), and with a 14-5 record also had the best winning percentage (.737) in the National League last season, was off to a horrible start. So were the Giants.

Now, Garrelts is sizzling and so are the Giants. They even won a game the other night when Garrelts, as a pinch-runner, scored the winning run.

Sunday, the 28-year-old right-hander missed by one out Sunday at San Francisco of becoming the eighth pitcher in the majors to pitch a no-hitter.

Paul O’Neill lined a single to center to spoil the no-hitter, but the red-hot Giants beat the faltering Cincinnati Reds, 4-0, before 55,792, the largest Candlestick Park crowd of the season, to sweep the four-game series.

The Reds have lost seven in a row. The sweep enabled the Giants to pull to within 5 1/2 games of Cincinnati in the National League West. It’s the closest San Francisco has been since April 24 and the Reds’ smallest lead since June 12.

A two-run home run in the eighth gave Garrelts (9-7), who has won eight of his last nine decisions, breathing room in a tight battle with Jack Armstrong (11-7).

The Giants, who were 11 games behind after losing to the Dodgers Tuesday night, have won five in a row.

Probably the most surprising thing about Garrelts’ performance was that it came at Candlestick Park. He has pitched most of his worst games there this season. With the win, he is only 3-6 at home. His first five starts were at Candlestick and he didn’t win any of them. His first win was May 12 at Philadelphia and he didn’t win at home until he held the Reds to four hits in seven innings in a 6-1 victory June 5.

“I’m not as disappointed as you might think,” Garrelts said. “I just wanted to throw strikes and win the game. The no-hitter was definitely secondary to the victory.

“O’Neill hit a fastball right down the middle. If my arm felt better I’d probably shot for the corners more. But my arm started stiffening earlier and I had a tough time keeping the ball down.”

Will Clark singled in a run in the first and singled and scored in the sixth, but Reds Manager Lou Piniella thought Kennedy’s homer was the big blow.

“That home run was really big for them,” Piniella said. “If the score’s only 2-0 at that point, anything could have happened in the ninth.

“I don’t like the way we’re playing, but the consolation is that we are still in first place and have to be caught.

“This is a game of peaks and valleys, but we’ve been in the valley too long. Right now we’re at the desert’s floor, but we’re not in Death Valley.”

Giant Manager Roger Craig wasn’t ready to gloat.

“It doesn’t get much better than winning four in a row from the club you’re trying to catch,” he said. “All the games were exciting, but Garrelts performance was the topper.”

While there have been six no-hitters in the American League already this season, the Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela has the only one in the National League.

Garrelts, in his seventh season, never had better than a three-hitter before his one-hitter.

Pittsburgh 2, Philadelphia 1--The Pirates turned to their most effective pitcher, Doug Drabek, to stop their skid.

The Pirates had lost four in a row and were in danger of being swept at home by the Phillies.

Drabek had a problem with his control, but the Phillies couldn’t hit him. Drabek (13-4) gave up just two hits, one Darren Daulton’s sixth home run, but he walked seven and was in constant trouble.

Drabek struck out eight and improved to 8-2 after Pirate losses.

“It’s up to me every fifth day,” he said. “Everybody goes through slumps. I was in one for a month and everybody picked me up.

“Really, I didn’t care how bad I looked as long as we won. It was a hot day (88 degrees), probably the hottest I’ve worked. I was glad to I was able to get through it. I probably was tired, but I wasn’t aware of it. I was concentrating on winning.”

Barry Bonds drove in one run with a single in the fourth and Jose Lind drove in the other with a sacrifice fly.

Chicago 2, Montreal 1--Rookie Mike Harkey followed his worst start with a solid performance at Montreal. He gave up four hits in 7 1/3 innings and the Cubs slowed the Expos bid to get into the race in the East.

Wednesday at St. Louis, Harkey retired only one batter before being chased. He gave up six hits, two walks and eight runs.

San Diego 4, Houston 3--Jack Clark hit a two-run homer off bullpen ace Dave Smith in the eighth inning at San Diego.

The Astros led, 3-2, there were two out and Tony Gwynn was on base when Smith was summoned to face Clark. The count went to 3 and 2 before Clark drove the ball over the left-field fence for his 17th home run.

Greg Harris (5-5) got the victory, although he gave up a run in the top of the eighth that gave the Astros the lead.

New York 6, St. Louis 0--This win at New York meant more than just keeping the Mets a game ahead in the East.

It proved that there was nothing wrong with Dwight Gooden. Gooden, who delayed his start two days because of a strained shoulder, pitched a strong seven innings to improve his record to 11-5. He gave up six hits.

His task was made easier when catcher Mackey Sasser hit a grand slam in the fifth inning.

Willie McGee had one of the hits off Gooden to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.

Gooden was concerned because a shoulder problem forced him to miss the second half of last season.