NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Smith Leads Pirates; Bonds Reaches 30-50 Level

Larry Doughty, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager, was roundly criticized when he sent two top prospects and relief pitcher Scott Ruskin to the Montreal Expos for veteran left-hander Zane Smith.

It was pointed out that Smith was 1-13 last season and was a losing pitcher (6-7) this season for the Expos. The prospects, Moises Alou and Willie Greene, were believed to be future stars.

The criticism has cooled considerably. Smith is pitching the Pirates toward the division title in the National League East.

Smith pitched a five-hitter Friday night at Pittsburgh and the Pirates beat St. Louis, 1-0, to extend their lead over the New York Mets to 3 1/2 games.

It was Smith’s eighth start since joining the Pirates Aug. 8. He is 5-1 since then.

Jose DeLeon (8-18) almost matched Smith. Barry Bonds’ single to open the seventh was only the Pirates’ third hit. Sid Bream doubled over center fielder Ray Lankford’s head and Bonds scored easily.

In the fourth, Bonds walked with two out, then ran on the first pitch for his 50th stolen base to become the second 30-homer/50-steal player in major league history. Eric Davis had 37 homers and 50 steals for Cincinnati in 1987. Bonds has 32 homers.

“They say our magic number is nine,” Bonds said. “Actually, it’s 41, the number Zane Smith wears. It’s hard to believe how much he’s meant to us.”

Chicago 4, New York 3--Until the most recent slump, Darryl Strawberry appeared to be capable of leading the Mets to the division title.

Now, Strawberry is having trouble and there aren’t many left-handed pitchers who fear them.

Ryne Sandberg hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning at Chicago to break a 3-3 tie and left-handers Steve Wilson and Paul Assenmacher held the Mets to four hits. It was the Mets’ fifth consecutive defeat.

The Mets bunched three hits in the second inning for two runs. Assenmacher, trying to save it for Wilson, gave up Howard Johnson’s 22nd home run in the eighth.

Only two of the four runs off loser David Cone were earned. They were back-to-back home runs in the third by Mark Grace and Andre Dawson. A throwing error by catcher Charlie O’Brien set up the winning run.

The Mets simply aren’t hitting. Johnson was two for three, to improve to 12 for 47 in 14 games. Tommy Herr is 12 for 51; Kevin McReynolds is 11 for 50; Strawberry, who struck out to end the game, is eight for 38; Dave Magadan is nine for 38, and Gregg Jefferies is six for 50.

Philadelphia 5, Montreal 4--It was probably inevitable that after sweeping series against Pittsburgh and New York to get into the race in the East, the Expos would let down.

But it took 12 innings at Philadelphia for the Phillies to stop the Expos’ six-game winning streak.

With two out Dave Hollis walked and scored when right fielder Marquis Grissom couldn’t catch up with Len Dykstra’s drive.

Dykstra, who homered earlier, went two for six and is still five points behind Willie McGee’s .335.

Andres Galarraga hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning to put the Expos ahead, 4-3.

Houston 4, Atlanta 3--Mike Simms hit his first major league home run in the 10th inning at Atlanta to beat the Braves.

Houston third baseman Ken Caminiti started an around-the-horn triple play in the fourth inning to foil a rally.