NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Suddenly, Davis Can See Enough to Lead Reds

The Cincinnati Reds have waited all season for Eric Davis, their best hitter, to start producing.

Just when it appeared he never would, the team decided to test his eyesight. All it took to straighten out Davis was contact lenses.

In his third game with his new “batting” aid, Davis went four for four, including a home run, and scored all the runs in the Reds’ 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night at Pittsburgh.

Davis jumped on Pirate ace Doug Drabek. His 17th home run broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. The Pirates pulled even again on Jose Lind’s single in the seventh.

Davis, who went into the game batting .188 against the Pirates this season, singled with one out in the eighth inning and scored on Paul O’Neill’s double to left-center.

The Reds, swept by Pittsburgh last week in Cincinnati, had lost five in a row to the leaders of the National League East.

Before the eye test, which may be of considerable significance as the Reds try to hold off the rest of the West, Davis, a lifetime .275 hitter, was batting only .223. He had hit 15 home runs in 93 games.

With contact lenses, he has hit two home runs in three games.

“He’s starting to swing the bat and that’s what we need,” Manager Lou Piniella said of Davis. “He had a big night.”

Drabek, who beat the Reds on Sunday, said he pitched Davis the same way.

“I’m just seeing the ball better,” Davis said. “I was hitting the ball with authority Thursday night. I just didn’t have anything to show for it.

“It still makes you feel good, even if the knees aren’t well. It’s a lot better than punching out four times. I feel more comfortable up there. I believe I’m ready to help this team win the division.”

Although he gave up the tying run, Ron Dibble pitched 2 1/3 innings for the victory. Randy Myers pitched the last 1 2/3 innings to get his 25th save. He struck out the last two batters with Barry Bonds on second.

San Francisco 13, Philadelphia 2--Kevin Mitchell’s three-run double highlighted an eight-run second inning as the Giants won at San Francisco.

The Giants pounded Phillies’ starter Pat Combs (6-9), who had allowed only seven earned runs in his previous five starts, for all eight runs in the second.

Matt Williams walked, Gary Carter singled and Robby Thompson walked to load the bases. Greg Litton singled to center for a 2-0 lead.

Pitcher Mike LaCoss reached safely when Combs fielded his bunt and threw late trying to force Thompson at third, re-loading the bases. Brett Butler’s sacrifice fly scored Thompson and Dave Anderson’s infield single scored Litton for a 4-0 lead.

After Will Clark’s single reloaded the bases, Mitchell’s double into the left scored all three runners for a 7-0 lead. Williams’ RBI single closed out the inning as Combs saw his ERA jump from 3.75 to 4.28.

LaCoss (4-2) allowed nine hits in seven innings as he won for the first time since April 21. It was his third start after spending 3 1/2 months on the disabled list after knee surgery. He walked three and struck out four.

Atlanta 3, Chicago 0--Steve Avery, a 6-foot-4 left-hander, became the youngest Brave to throw a shutout. Avery, 20, gave up six hits, struck out eight and walked two at Atlanta to improve his record to 3-7.

“The difference between this game and my other games is that I had command of my pitches,” Avery said. “I was trying to move them in and out.”

Manager Bobby Cox was ecstatic. “When you have a 20-year-old who changes pitches like that, you’ve got something,” Cox said. “He’s going to be a lot of fun for a lot of years. I wouldn’t be surprised if he threw five more shutouts in a row.”

Greg Maddux (11-11), who is 5-2 lifetime against the Braves, pitched his sixth complete game. He became the loser in the first inning when his balk moved Oddibe McDowell to second and he scored on Tommy Gregg’s single.

San Diego 2, Montreal 1--Andy Benes was a No. 1 draft selection by the Padres in 1988. At that time he had a terrific fastball.

Tendinitis in his right elbow has taken some of the speed. Slowly, though, Benes, 23, is learning to win without it.

In winning his third game in a row and improving his record to 10-8, Benes, although he struck out only two, gave up three hits in 6 1/3 innings at Montreal.

“Right now, his fastball doesn’t have the zip it once had,” Manager Greg Riddoch said. “He’s having to learn to pitch and he’s doing that.”

Stolen bases by Bip Roberts and Roberto Alomar set up the Padres’ two runs off Dennis Martinez (10-9).

The Expos scored on Tim Raines’ seventh home run in the seventh inning.

St. Louis 3, Houston 2--Vince Coleman stole his 72nd base, but his single in the 11th inning at Houston gave the Cardinals the victory.

Tom Pagnozzi opened the inning with a single and, when left fielder Mark Davidson misplayed the ball, went on to second.

Pinch-runner Dave Collins was sacrificed to third and Coleman lined the single to beat Dave Smith (4-5).

Coleman has stolen 13 bases in the last nine games. He needs 28 in 37 games to reach 100. He has hit safely in nine games in a row.