NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Braves (3 1/2 Back) Taking Advantage in the West

At the All-Star break, the Atlanta Braves were a team in retreat.

When two top hitters, David Justice and Sid Bream, went out with injuries, the Braves went from a contender to 9 1/2 games behind.

To get back in the race, they needed the Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds to collapse. The two leaders of the National League West obliged.

Just a week into the second half of the season, the Braves have adjusted to the loss of Justice and Bream, with Terry Pendleton leading the offense.

Pendleton, challenging Tony Gwynn for the batting lead, hit a two-run home run Wednesday night at Atlanta to lead the Braves’ 12-2 rout of the Chicago Cubs. With the Dodgers losing seven in a row and the Reds nine, the Braves are only 3 1/2 games from the top.

The fans are excited, too. Two naked men revived streaking during the five-run sixth inning that broke it open.

Pendleton, a solid third baseman with the Cardinals but a disappointment as a hitter in seven seasons at St. Louis, has 10 home runs and is hitting .337. Gwynn is hitting .345.

“I’m just happy to make a contribution,” Pendleton said. “I like the attitude. It’s great to play with youngsters who have so much enthusiasm.

“Even when we slumped before the All-Star break, the kids didn’t despair. We could be tough down the stretch.”

Although he needed help in the sixth inning of a game delayed 45 minutes by rain, John Smoltz (4-11) won his second in a row.

Houston 10, Pittsburgh 2--Ken Caminiti had three hits and drove in three runs at Pittsburgh, and the Astros ended their five-game losing streak and the Pirates’ seven-game winning streak.

The Astros survived despite the loss of their starting pitcher in the first inning for the second night in a row.

Tuesday night Jim Deshaies was hit in the arm by a line drive. This time Mark Portugal, their top winner, left in the first inning because of a groin injury.

Jimmy Jones relieved and, except for Andy Van Slyke’s home run, stopped the Pirates. The loss cut the Pirates’ lead in the East to 3 1/2 games over the Mets.

St. Louis 6, Cincinnati 5--In their slump, no lead is enough for the Reds.

Tuesday night at Cincinnati, they scored four runs in the first and blew it. In this one they led, 3-0, then went on to lose their ninth in a row.

Todd Zeile hit a three-run home run in the fourth off Jack Armstrong (6-9), and Rich Gedman, getting a rare chance to catch, homered to start a three-run rally in the fifth.

Bryn Smith (8-6) went six innings for the victory and Lee Smith, although he gave up a run in the ninth, earned his 26th save.

San Diego 7, Montreal 5--The Padres spotted the Expos five runs in the first inning at Montreal, then battled back for the victory.

With the bases loaded and the Expos leading, 5-3, in the sixth, Tim Teufel hit a ground ball to third. Tim Wallach threw home for the force. But Ron Hassey, trying to get the double play at first, threw the ball into right field, three runs scored and Dennis Martinez (10-6) was a loser.

New York 6, San Francisco 5--The Giants lost this one at New York on a foul ball.

Mackey Sasser’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and nobody out was caught by right fielder Mike Felder in foul territory. Gregg Jefferies, who opened the inning with a single, scored from third, even though he missed the plate the first time and had to go back to touch it.