NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mulholland Steps Up for Phillies, Wins, 8-0

Manager Jim Fregosi of the Philadelphia Phillies thought he had a pretty good five-man starting rotation this season.

But he lost four of those pitchers because of injuries. The other, Terry Mulholland, “lost” the month of April.

Two of the projected starters, Ken Howell and Jose DeJesus, are out for the season because of shoulder injuries. Another, Andy Ashby, has a broken thumb and won’t pitch until midseason. The other, Tommy Greene, just went back on the disabled list because of tendinitis in his shoulder.

Mulholland, a 16-game winner for a below .500 team last season to become the ace of the staff, has started asserting himself.

The 29-year-old left-hander pitched a five-hitter Friday night at Cincinnati and the Phillies beat the Reds, 8-0. It was Mulholland’s third consecutive complete-game victory.

Darren Daulton hit a two-run double to key a three-run fourth inning, and Ricky Jordan drove in four runs, three of them with his first home run in the ninth.

Mulholland has done an about-face after a disastrous April. He started five times and was hit hard in all of them. Although he escaped with only three defeats, he gave up 34 hits and 17 runs in 29 2/3 innings.

He is 3-0 in May and has given up five runs in 27 innings.

“I’m making $1.25 million this year, and I don’t want to be accused of not earning it,” Mulholland said. “I’m trying to give the Phillies what they’re paying me for.”

Jordan, playing only his third game since returning from a broken jaw, is pleased with his performance. “I’m getting there,” he said, “but I still don’t feel comfortable.”

The other starters Fregosi has come up with would be virtual unknowns and include rookie Kyle Abbott, who is off to an 0-6 start, Curt Schilling (summoned from the bullpen), Cliff Brantley and Brad Brink.

Daulton’s double knocked out Tom Browning (3-3). It was another dismal showing for Browning. He gave up six hits and five runs to raise his earned-run average to 6.03. In five of his last seven starts, he has failed to last until the sixth inning.

“I just don’t throw the ball anywhere but over the middle of the plate,” Browning said.

San Diego 9, Pittsburgh 2--Before the game at Pittsburgh, Manager Jim Leyland said his feud with Mark Hirschbeck’s umpiring crew was over.

It was, but only until the bottom of the first inning. The Pirates, trailing, 3-1, had two runners on and only one out. A 2-and-1 pitch to Lloyd McClendon eluded Padre catcher Benito Santiago.

Santiago didn’t chase the ball, just turned to umpire Charlie Williams for a new ball. Williams ruled it was a foul tip and made the Pirate runners return to first and second. Leyland argued for 10 minutes that the ball did not strike McClendon’s bat. It appeared on a TV replay that McClendon backed away from the pitch, and that the ball did not hit his bat.

Wednesday night at Atlanta, Leyland, in an argument with Hirschbeck, appeared to bump the umpire and was ejected.

After the game Layland said: “I’m not talking about it at all. Don’t even ask me about it.”

Gary Sheffield doubled home two runs in the Padres’ three-run first inning. It helped former reliever Craig Lefferts improve to 4-2 as a starter.

St. Louis 7, Houston 5--Felix Jose hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning at Houston to bring the Cardinals from behind. It triggered a four-run rally that brought their sixth victory in a row. In five of them the Cardinals came from behind in the sixth inning or later to win.

Jose, who was on the disabled list for the first 21 games because of a hamstring injury, has made up for lost time. In 14 games he is batting .426, with three home runs and 15 RBIs.

Although he gave up a home run to Andujar Cedeno in the ninth inning, Lee Smith picked up his major league-leading 13th save.

“The more you come back, the more confidence you get,” Manager Joe Torre said.

Atlanta 4, Montreal 2--Ron Gant drove in two runs at Atlanta to increase his league-leading total to 31.

Kent Mercker (1-0), pressed into service when starter Mike Bielecki suffered back spasms in the first inning, pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to get the victory.

Terry Pendleton singled home a run in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and 24 of his last 25.

Chicago 5, San Francisco 3--The wildness of Dave Righetti helped the Cubs rally for three runs in the ninth at San Francisco.

After Joe Girardi singled in the tying run off Jeff Brantley, Righetti relieved with two runners on, then walked the bases loaded.

He also walked Sammy Sosa to force home the go-ahead run, then wild pitched home another.

Willie McGee’s run-scoring double in the seventh inning had given the Giants the 3-2 lead.