NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Duncan’s Homer Does In Drabek, Pirates

Mariano Duncan had his finest season in 1990 and was a big reason for the Cincinnati Reds’ success.

Duncan, who batted .306 and gave the Reds outstanding play at second base, has had trouble getting started this season. He has lost his regular job and is platooning with Bill Doran.

It was Duncan’s turn to play Tuesday night at Cincinnati in the opener of a series with Pittsburgh, the team the Reds beat in the National League championship series last year.

Duncan, hitting under .150, made the most of the opportunity, hitting his first home run of the season to break a 3-3 tie and give the Reds a 4-3 victory.

“Maybe that will get me going,” Duncan said. “It really felt good to hit one off a pitcher like Drabek.”

The home run handed Doug Drabek, the Cy Young Award winner, his fourth defeat against one victory. Last season, when he was 22-6, Drabek didn’t lose his fourth game until June 28.

Drabek gave up four hits and two runs in a rocky first inning, then settled down until the fourth when hot-hitting Hal Morris homered. Once again the Pirates battled back to tie it on two singles and a double play.

Tom Browning, who gave up home runs to Andy Van Slyke and Jose Lind, improved his record to 3-1. Rob Dibble retired the last four batters--all on strikes--to get his fifth save.

“Tonight I was very focused,” said Dibble. “It felt more like the playoffs. I just felt good.”

Dibble, who may face discipline for throwing the ball into the stands and hitting a woman in the arm Sunday, was throwing strikes Tuesday, while Drabek was struggling.

“I’m overthrowing a lot of pitches,” he said. “I’ve been trying too hard.”

St. Louis 5, Atlanta 3--Leads simply aren’t safe these days against the Cardinals.

Pinch-hitter Milt Thompson hit a two-run single in the seventh inning at St. Louis to break a 3-3 tie and give the Cardinals their second come-from-behind victory in a row.

After two innings, the Braves had a 3-0 lead. But the Cardinals pulled within a run in the fourth and Pedro Guerrero singled in the tying run in the sixth.

The Cardinals trailed, 3-0, in the sixth Monday night and won in 11. In seven of their 13 victories, they have come from behind.

Philadelphia 11, San Francisco 9--Von Hayes was supposed to be the big hitter, but Charlie Hayes has really been hitting.

While Von Hayes languishes on the bench in a terrible slump, Charlie is starting to blast the ball.

Charlie had three hits, including a two-run home run at Philadelphia and the Phillies overcame a 9-3 deficit to pull out the victory.

The two-run home run climaxed a six-run fourth inning that put the Phillies even. Hayes has driven 12 runs in the past nine games.

There were six home runs in the game and 25 hits.

Chicago 10, Houston 3--Hector Villenueva, a Puerto Rican catcher who looks overweight, hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs at Chicago.

“When I’m not hitting,” they say I’m fat,” Villenueva said. “When I’m hitting, I’m just strong.”