National League Roundup : Giants’ Reuschel Scores 200th Win

Although arm problems cost him almost five seasons, right-hander Rick Reuschel of the San Francisco Giants has reached the 200-victory mark.

Reuschel, who will turn 40 Tuesday, held the Expos to four hits before faltering in the ninth inning Friday night at Montreal. Rich Gossage then came on to get the last out in a 2-1 victory.

Reuschel (6-2) had a string of 22 consecutive scoreless innings until Tom Foley singled, went to second on an infield out and scored on Hubie Brooks’ single in the ninth.

Gossage, whose career appeared to be over until Giant Manager Roger Craig gave him a chance this season, didn’t have to get a hitter out to earn his second save. Otis Nixon, running for Brooks, was out stealing to end the game.

An error by Foley in the eighth inning resulted in the run that gave the Giants their fifth consecutive victory.

Reuschel had 20- and 18-victory seasons for the Chicago Cubs before his arm troubles began in 1981. After he had several operations and missed the 1982 season and most of 1983, Reuschel’s career appeared to be over. From 1981 until he joined Pittsburgh late in the 1985 season, he won only 14 games.

The arm continued to get stronger. He went to the Giants in August 1987 and was the key to the late drive that gave the Giants the pennant in the West.

When he was a 19-game winner last season, it seemed that he may have reached his peak. But he has already won six games this season and appears to have an excellent chance to win 20, a dozen years after he did it the first time.

Houston 3, Chicago 1--The light-hitting Astros make it tough on their pitchers, but in the early going, at least, left-hander Jim Deshaies has handled the problem.

Deshaies improved to 5-2 and barely missed his third shutout in eight starts this season in the game at Chicago.

The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Gerald Young stole home and Bill Doran hit a run-scoring single.

A steal of home in the sixth ruined Deshaies’ shutout. Darrin Jackson scored on the front end of a double steal.

Deshaies, better known as a fly-ball pitcher, got 16 groundouts and four strikeouts.

Pittsburgh 10, Atlanta 2--Glenn Wilson’s two-run double keyed a five-run third-inning rally at Pittsburgh as the Pirates ended the Braves’ seven-game winning streak.

John Smiley (5-1) pitched a five-hitter, and Bobby Bonilla keyed the attack with three hits and three runs batted in.

San Diego 4, New York 3--When Dwight Gooden went into the ninth inning at New York with a one-run lead and couldn’t hold it, the Mets’ chances appeared slim. They committed five errors and finally lost in the 12th inning on Marvell Wynne’s run-scoring single.

Gooden, working on a two-hitter, gave up three consecutive singles before Randy Myers came on with runners on first and third and nobody out in the ninth.

Barry Lyons, playing for injured Gary Carter, had given the Mets a 2-1 lead when he homered with two out in the seventh.

Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 0--Rick Mahler pitched a five-hitter at St. Louis to win his fourth game in a row, and Barry Larkin drove in two runs.

The Cardinals, who lost another pitcher--Scott Terry--because of a sore arm, brought up Ted Power for his first National League start since 1987. He was the loser.