NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Pirates Deck Reds Again, 7-2

The Cincinnati Reds had everything their way last season. They started fast and never let up, whipping Pittsburgh in the National League playoffs and sweeping the World Series from Oakland. It was a walk in the park.

It isn’t going to be that easy this time.

The Pirates pounded the Reds, 7-2, Wednesday night at Pittsburgh to sweep the three-game series.

Jay Bell hit a two-run inside-the-park home run and Zane Smith (4-1) gave up four hits in eight innings. In the sweep, the Pirates outscored the Reds, 17-5.

The Reds, who led the West every day last season, fell to 13-13. The Reds won 33 games before they lost their 13th last year.

Lloyd McClendon and Jose Lind hit consecutive home runs for Pittsburgh in the fourth against Norm Charlton (1-3). It was the Pirates’ 13th victory in their last 19 games. Their 18-9 record is the best in the majors.

Cincinnati Manager Lou Piniella, after watching his club fall behind, 5-1, lost his cool and was ejected in the third inning for arguing a strike call.

Smith is 10-3 since joining the Pirates last August, not counting the two playoff games he lost to the Reds.

“They’re not swinging the bats real good right now, and I was able to get ahead of the hitters,” Smith said.

Bell, who couldn’t get the ball out of the infield the first month, hit a fly ball down the right-field line. Right fielder Paul O’Neill tried to make a diving catch, missed and the ball skipped past him to the fence. Bell just beat the relay home.

“If I had held up, the ball would have gotten by anyhow,” O’Neill said. “. . . The way things are going, I’m lucky it didn’t hit me in the head and knock me out. This is the low point of the season right now.”

Said the despondent Piniella, “I sure hope he’s right.”

Atlanta 17, St. Louis 1--Earlier in the season the Cardinals were the surprise team. Now it’s the Braves.

Ron Gant emerged from a slump to hit a home run and a double at Atlanta and drive in three runs to help the Braves to their fifth victory in the last six games. The Cardinals have lost four in a row.

In this one, they used six pitchers. Second baseman Jose Oquendo pitched the eighth, giving up the last three runs.

“I’ve been ready for this day,” said Gant, who was 0 for 15 before his first-inning home run. “I’ve been working hard to get my stroke back. And I think I’ve got it.”

The Braves pulled to within half a game of first-place San Diego in the West.

Houston 4, Chicago 2--Rookie Luis Gonzalez drove in three runs with a double and a triple at Houston to lead the Astros.

Peter Harnisch (2-1) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings, but his league-leading earned-run average rose from 1.07 to 1.33.

Curt Schilling pitched the last two innings for his fifth save.

Montreal 5, San Francisco 4--Ivan Calderon’s fourth hit of the game at Montreal was a home run in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie.

The Giants rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie, but still ended the trip with their third loss in a row and a 2-10 record.

Philadelphia 5, San Diego 2--Danny Cox recorded his first victory since 1988 and Ricky Jordan hit a grand slam at San Diego.

Cox, who missed all of 1989 and pitched in the minors last season, gave up two runs and five hits in six innings.

Roger McDowell pitched three hitless innings for his second save.