National League Roundup : Pittsburgh Offense Stifled Again; Mets Win Behind Strawberry, 2-1

When the Pittsburgh Pirates went into New York Friday for an important four-game series with the Mets, they had been averaging 4.5 runs per game and getting good pitching.

As the Mets proceeded to put some distance between them and the Pirates by winning the first three games, the Pittsburgh pitching held up. The offense did not.

After being shut out twice, the Pirates finally scored a run Sunday, but Darryl Strawberry hit a two-run home run and Ron Darling pitched a six-hitter for a 2-1 victory.

Although they scored only six runs in the three games, the Mets moved five games ahead of the Pirates. With their best pitcher, Dwight Gooden, going against the Pirates tonight, the race may be about over.

Until their hitting failed in New York, the young, inexperienced Pirates kept the pressure on the Mets, generally regarded as the best ballclub in baseball.

Bob Ojeda beat them, 1-0, giving up three hits in the opener Friday night. On Saturday, Sid Fernandez and Randy Myers combined on a four-hitter, 3-0.

Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla have provided most of the punch for the Pirates all season, but they’ve almost been helpless against Met pitching.

Bonds is 2 for 10, Van Slyke 1 for 11 and Bonilla 3 for 11. That’s not nearly enough offense in a big series.

The Pirates went into New York with high hopes of at least a split in the series.

“With no runs, you can’t win,” Pirate Manager Jim Leyland said. “I don’t believe in luck, or if or maybe. . . . That doesn’t cut it. People will say we are not good enough yet (to win the division). But I’ll say 1-0, 3-0 and 2-1 proves we can play with them.”

The Pirates, batting .181 in their last nine games, ended a Shea Stadium scoreless streak of 38 innings when Jose Lind and Van Slyke singled and Lind scored on Bonilla’s ground ball in the first inning.

The lead lasted until Strawberry came to bat after a walk to Dave Magadan with two out in the first and delivered his league-leading 27th home run. It was only the third home run off Bob Walk (11-6) in 139 innings.

San Francisco 4-3, Atlanta 2-2--Will Clark bounced a single off first baseman Gerald Perry’s chest to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning of the second game to give the Giants a sweep of the doubleheader at San Francisco.

The sweep extended the Giants’ winning streak to five games and put them into a tie with Houston for second place in the West, 4 1/2 games behind the Dodgers.

Harry Spilman’s eighth-inning pinch-hit home run brought the Giants even in the nightcap.

In the opener, Kevin Mitchell hit a tie-breaking home run in the seventh inning. In may have been a costly win. In the sixth inning, Perry hit a line drive that broke pitcher Terry Mulholland’s arm.

The loss in the second game was the sixth in a row for the Braves. It also spoiled a fine performance by German Jimenez, who held the Giants to three hits and a run in six innings.

The Giants and Astros open a three-game series tonight at San Francisco.

Philadelphia 6, Chicago 3--Mike Maddux gets fired up when he goes up against the man he believes is the best pitcher in the league.

That man is Greg Maddux, the 22-year-old, right-handed sensation of the Cubs. Mike, who will be 27 late this month, has not been as successful as his younger brother.

In this game at Philadelphia, Mike prevailed. He gave up 6 hits and only 2 earned runs in 7 innings. Now the brothers stand 1-1. Mike is 3-1 for the season.

Greg (15-5) was knocked out with nobody out in the seventh after giving up 10 hits and 6 runs. Greg, who was 15-3 when he won July 10, has failed to win since the All-Star break.

“He’s the best pitcher in the league,” Mike said. “That pumps me up and he’s also my little brother, so that adds some spice to it.”

In his last four starts Greg has pitched 27 innings, giving up 16 runs.

“I was a rookie when I beat him in 1986,” Greg said. “It was just another game today.”

Montreal 2, St. Louis 0--Pitchers sprint to the mound for the chance to face the light-hitting Cardinals these days.

Dennis Martinez (12-7) held them to three hits at Montreal to finish July with a perfect 5-0 record and give the Expos their eighth win in 10 games with the defending league champions this season.

Danny Cox gave up just 7 hits and 2 runs in 7 innings, but his record fell to 3-7.

San Diego 8, Cincinnati 5--The second time around with the Padres has proved a boon to left-hander Dennis Rasmussen.

Although he needed help from Lance McCullers in the seventh inning at San Diego, Rasmussen won for the seventh time in eight decisions since rejoining the Padres.

Rasmussen, who made his debut with the Padres in 1983 and appeared in four games, was traded back to the New York Yankees, rejoining the Padres this spring. He was acquired from the Reds after being 2-6.