NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Dawson, Dibble Match Tempers in Cub Victory

Usually wild nights at Wrigley Field in Chicago happen when high winds are blowing out and contribute to runs in bunches.

Tuesday night, in the Cubs’ 8-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the tempers of a couple of ballplayers caused the excitement.

Perhaps strangest of all moves was that made by Cincinnati relief pitcher, Rob Dibble, who was just back from a three-day suspension for throwing at Houston’s Eric Yelding. More time off may be in Dibble’s future.

Apparently incensed when the Cubs’ Doug Dascenzo executed a perfect squeeze bunt in the eighth inning, Dibble picked up the ball and, instead of throwing out Dascenzo at first base, threw the ball at him.

Umpire Joe West, who threw out Andre Dawson and Cub Manager Joe Essian in the seventh inning, triggering a fan uprising, ejected Dibble immediately.

West said it was a clear display of unsportsmanship. “He intended to hurt someone,” West said. “He wanted to hurt someone who outsmarted him.”

Dibble denied it.

“The ball slipped out of my hand,” Dibble said. “I looked up and tried to throw it, but it got away from me.”

Dawson, angry over being called out on strikes by West, threw a dozen or so bats out on the field. The Cub slugger aroused the fans and they responded by throwing dozens of cups containing beer and pop onto the field. It took 15 minutes to clear the field.

“We were going back and forth and I won’t repeat any of it,” Dawson said. “I didn’t think he showed professionalism. After he threw me out, he had a smile on his face and that set me off. If I bumped him, it wasn’t intentional. The important thing is we won the game.”

The desperate Reds, who have lost 12 of their last 13 games, started reliever Randy Myers. Myers, who has flopped coming out of the bullpen recently, was only a little better as a starter. He went five innings, giving up five hits and three runs, and his record fell to 4-7.

Dibble, who had been almost unhittable until last week when he couldn’t save a game against the Cardinals, faced only four batters in the eighth before being ejected. Three of them scored.

Pittsburgh 12, Atlanta 3--The Braves jumped in front, 3-0, at Pittsburgh, but the Pirates came charging back, with Gary Redus hitting a grand slam and Mike LaValliere driving in three runs to help Doug Drabek improve his record to 10-9.

The Pirates apparently have found a good hitter in rookie third baseman John Wehner. The Pittsburgh native, in only his third major league game, went five for five, scored three runs and drove in another.

Bobby Bonilla hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning for the Pirates, who stretched their lead in the East to 4 1/2 games.

San Francisco 4, New York 2--Howard Johnson hit his 22nd home run to spoil Bud Black’s bid at San Francisco to shut out the Mets for the third time.

The left-hander, who had not won since June 6, gave up four hits in seven innings to end his slump.

Robby Thompson hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning for the Giants, and Kevin Bass also homered against Frank Viola, ending his five-game winning streak. Viola (11-6) is 1-4 against the Giants.

Black is 3-0 against the Mets with an earned-run average of 0.95.

St. Louis 5, Houston 1--Through the first 90 games this season, the Cardinals had only two pitchers throw complete games. Most of the times St. Louis won, bullpen ace Lee Smith was on the mound at the end of the game.

Bryn Smith pitched a six-hitter at St. Louis, the second consecutive complete game for a Cardinal pitcher. Monday night Jose Deleon went the route and beat the Astros.

It was the fourth complete game in a row pitched against the Astros. Greg Maddux and Frank Castillo of Chicago did it over the weekend.

Hot-hitting Ray Lankford hit a bases-leaded triple in the third inning to break open the game. Lankford is 11 for 27 (.407) in the last eight games.

San Diego 2, Montreal 1--Bip Roberts singled in the winning run with two out in the 11th inning at San Diego.

Roberts’ third hit gave the Padres only their 19th victory in 46 home games, the worst home record in the league.