National League Roundup : Stillwell’s Triple Helps the Reds Get Past Pirates Again, 4-2

Things are suddenly looking brighter for the Cincinnati Reds, who won their third straight game over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2, Saturday night at Pittsburgh. It was the first time this season that the Reds have won three in a row.

And things are looking brighter for the Reds’ 20-year-old rookie shortstop, Kurt Stillwell, a No. 1 draft choice in 1983. Entering the game with a .167 average and only one run batted in in 42 at-bats, Stillwell drove in two runs with a triple.

Bill Gullickson (4-3) went the distance and allowed only seven hits to get the victory.

Stillwell lined his triple into the right-field corner, scoring Nick Esasky and Buddy Bell, both of whom had singled. It was only the second extra-base hit in the majors for Stillwell. Stillwell eventually scored on an infield out by Ron Oester.

“He’s got everything,” Pete Rose, the Reds’ player-manager, said of Stillwell. “They tell me we haven’t seen him at his best. Supposedly, he’s a better hitter right-handed, but I haven’t played him against too many left-handed pitchers.”

The other Cincinnati run came in the fifth inning. With two out, Eddie Milner walked and stole second. Rose followed with a single to score Milner. It was career hit No. 4,214 for Rose.

Chicago 4, Houston 3--The Cubs got two runs on one hit in the eighth to win at Chicago.

Jerry Mumphrey drew a walk to open the eighth off reliever Charlie Kerfeld. Gary Matthews, who twice failed to bunt off reliever Dave Smith (0-2), singled Mumphrey to third.

Mumphrey scored the tying run when the fourth ball to Ryne Sandberg was a wild pitch, and pinch-runner Davey Lopes went all the way to third on the play. One out later, Lopes scored the winning run as Leon Durham grounded out softly to first.

“Who knows what would have happened if he had bunted?” Chicago Manager Jim Frey said. “We were fortunate to get the bounce to go our way for a change.”

George Frazier (2-3) was the winner with Lee Smith pitching a 1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save.

The game marked the first time this season the Houston bullpen had blown a save opportunity after 13 successes.

Montreal 7, San Francisco 4--Shortstop Hubie Brooks homered and drove in three runs to lead the Expos at San Francisco.

The Expos have won 15 of 20 games.

Brooks, who went 2 for 5, is hitting .342 and leads the National League with 38 RBIs. The homer was his second in as many games and ties him with the Dodgers’ Mike Marshall for the league lead with 12.

Brooks’ two-out solo homer in the third inning broke a 1-1 tie and put the Expos ahead to stay. He singled home a run in the seventh and added a run-scoring grounder in the ninth, giving him 31 RBIs in the last 22 games.

Andres Galarraga also hit a solo homer for the Expos.

St. Louis 9, Atlanta 5--The Cardinals are counting on Ray Burris for help on the mound, but he’s been doing more damage at the plate. In this game at St. Louis, he went 2 for 3 and drove in four runs--three coming on a bases-loaded double in the second inning.

Two weeks ago, Burris, in his St. Louis debut after coming up from the minors, hit a bases-loaded double in the second inning of a victory over the Giants.

“It was a flashback,” Burris said. “It’s all a dream and I’m glad it’s happening. It’s just one of those things. How can I explain it? I can’t. I’m no Jack Clark.”

In his three games with the Cardinals, Burris has three hits in six at-bats and seven RBIs.

Burris improved to 2-0 in his second start and third appearance this year. Burris, who was signed by St. Louis after being released by Milwaukee, checked Atlanta on six hits and two runs in six innings.

New York 5, San Diego 4--Rafael Santana hit a two-run double and Gary Carter had a pair of run-scoring singles to lead the Mets at San Diego, snapping the Padres’ four-game winning streak.

The Mets survived a pair of home runs by Kevin McReynolds and a solo homer from Graig Nettles as Bruce Berenyi (2-0) went 5 innings for his fifth consecutive victory over the Padres since 1982.