NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Reds Take Another Blow in Loss

The Cincinnati Reds’ hopes of holding off the Atlanta Braves in the National League West suffered another jolt Thursday night at Cincinnati.

Reggie Sanders, their rookie-of-the-year contender, broke a rib and punctured a lung in a collision at home plate in the Reds’ 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sanders, trying to complete an inside-the-park home run, appeared to be out by about 15 feet, so he tried to bowl over Cardinal catcher Tom Pagnozzi. Sanders was out at the plate and will be out of the lineup at least two weeks.

Sanders joins pitcher Tom Browning and third baseman Chris Sabo on the injured list. Browning will undergo knee surgery and is lost for the season. Sabo has an ankle injury and is being tested today.

Omar Olivares not only outpitched Tim Belcher, he hit a two-run home run off him.

After Olivares gave up nine hits, but only one run, in 7 2/3 innings, Todd Worrell retired the last four Reds to get his first save since 1989. It was his 127th, tying him with Bruce Sutter for the team record.

It was the fourth loss in a row at home for the Reds and cut their lead over Atlanta to one game.

“This is not the way we envisioned the second half starting,” said Belcher (8-8) after giving up 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings. “But we still have the lead and that’s something.”

Olivares, who hit the second home run of his career, fouled off two bunt tries before he pulled a slider over the left-field wall. He acted as if it were another trip around the bases.

“I wasn’t surprised I hit it out,” he said. “I knew if I hit it hard, it can go over the wall. The slider was down the middle.”

Atlanta 4, Houston 2--Steve Avery and Terry Pendleton, key performers in the Braves’ second-half drive to the pennant last season, are again off to a fast start.

Avery pitched a strong eight innings at Houston for his sixth victory in the last eight decisions, and Pendleton had three hits and drove in two runs.

The Braves were 39-40 at the break last season.

Apparently, they have started their drive early this year. They are 30-10 since May 27.

Pittsburgh 2, Chicago 1--Doug Drabek obviously knows the second half is under way. The veteran right-hander, always strong after the All-Star game, held the Cubs to three hits in eight innings at Pittsburgh to improve his record to 8-7.

Andy Van Slyke hit his fifth home run in the first inning to give Drabek the lead.

Drabek is 28-30 before the All-Star break. He is 54-26 afterward.

The only Cub run was Derrick May’s pinch-hit home run in the sixth inning.

The Pirates lead the East by 4 1/2 games.

San Francisco 6, New York 4--This was more than another loss to Bud Black for the Mets in New York.

They lost Dwight Gooden indefinitely with a sore right shoulder. Gooden (6-9), who had shoulder surgery last September, left in the fourth inning, behind, 3-1, with a 2-and-0 count on Robby Thompson. Thompson hit reliever Tom Filer’s first pitch for a home run.

Black, 4-0 lifetime against the Mets, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings.

He has an 8-2 record for the Giants, who won their third in a row.

Montreal 7, San Diego 4--Although he needed help in the sixth inning at Montreal, Ken Hill won his fifth in a row and became a 10-game winner.

The Expos, who had lost four in a row, built a 7-0 lead and Hill relaxed. After giving up two hits in five innings, he gave up three hits, including Fred McGriff’s league-leading 19th home run.

Marquis Grissom homered and drove in three runs for the Expos.