NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Dascenzo Helps Cubs Extend Reds’ Slump to Five

Doug Dascenzo got three hits and robbed Paul O’Neill of a two-run homer Monday night as the visiting Chicago Cubs handed Cincinnati its fifth consecutive loss, beating the Reds, 3-1, in a game called in the ninth inning because of rain.

The Reds, swept at home in a four-game series by Pittsburgh during the weekend, had their lead cut to 5 1/2 games over the Dodgers, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1.

Cincinnati Manager Lou Piniella was furious when the game finally was called after three delays totaling 3 hours, 12 minutes.

“I wasn’t even informed,” Piniella said. “It was a very irresponsible action, as far as I am concerned--extremely irresponsible.

“We’re talking about a 3-1 ballgame where we have a chance to come up in the bottom of the ninth and win a ballgame,” he said. “There’s no excuse for something like that, and the league office will hear about it tomorrow.”

Dascenzo was the hero for Chicago, going three for three with a double, a run batted in, a walk and two stolen bases.

In the third inning, with the score 1-1, Dascenzo reached over the center-field fence to catch O’Neill’s drive.

Cub pitcher Mike Bielecki (5-8) gave up three hits in seven innings for his first victory as a starter since May 27. In his previous 12 starts he was 0-5. Norm Charlton (9-7) was the loser.

The Cubs got an unearned run in the second when Shawon Dunston got an infield single, stole second, went to third on shortstop Barry Larkin’s two-out error and scored on Dascenzo’s single.

Pittsburgh 7, Houston 1--Neal Heaton pitched six shutout innings to gain his first victory since June 24, and Gary Redus hit a two-run homer to lead the Pirates at home.

The victory, coupled with the New York Mets’ 3-1 loss to San Diego, gives Pittsburgh a three-game lead in the National League East, its biggest since June 22.

Heaton ended his six-game losing streak as the Pirates (72-49), 23 games over .500 for the first time since 1979, matched their longest winning streak of the season--six in a row.

The Pirates, coming off a weekend four-game sweep in Cincinnati, took a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Jim Deshaies (5-11) to help Heaton (11-8) end his losing streak.

Heaton, making his 200th major league start, gave up three hits, struck out three and walked two. The losing streak matched the longest of his nine-year career.

San Francisco 4, Montreal 2--Don Robinson pitched a four-hitter, Will Clark hit his 16th homer and Kevin Mitchell drove in two runs to lead the Giants at home.

Robinson (9-4) ended a personal three-game losing streak with his third complete game of the season and first by a Giant since Trevor Wilson beat the Dodgers Aug. 4. He struck out seven and walked one.

Montreal, losing its fourth of five games, dropped nine games behind Pittsburgh in the National League East.

Kevin Gross (8-10) lost his sixth consecutive decision, matching the longest skid of his career. He is winless in 10 starts since a 5-0 victory over Philadelphia June 11.

Clark’s homer was only his second in 157 at-bats.

San Diego 3, New York 1--Bruce Hurst pitched seven shutout innings and Roberto Alomar homered as the Padres beat the Mets at San Diego, dropping the Mets three games behind in the National League East. New York has lost six of its last nine games.

Hurst (8-8) gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked four before Craig Lefferts got his 20th save.

Darryl Strawberry opened the Mets’ ninth with his 28th home run, tying for the league lead with Bobby Bonilla and Ryne Sandberg. The Mets got another hit off Lefferts, but could not score again.

Sid Fernandez (8-10) gave up two runs on two hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked one.

Jack Clark tripled to lead off the Padres’ second and scored on Benito Santiago’s sacrifice fly. Alomar started the sixth with his fourth home run of the season to give San Diego a 2-0 lead.

St. Louis 7, Atlanta 2--Ken Hill pitched a six-hitter and Rex Hudler got three hits and drove in three runs as the Cardinals defeated the Braves at St. Louis.

Hill (4-1) won his third consecutive decision. He struck out six, walked two and retired 10 batters in a row before Dave Justice hit his 19th home run to lead off the seventh.

Hudler, making his first start in six games since sustaining a bruised shoulder, had a two-run single in a four-run first inning, singled in the third and fifth and had an RBI groundout in the seventh. In his last nine starts, Hudler is batting .419 (18 for 43).

Tom Glavine (6-10) gave up six runs and seven hits in four innings to lose his fourth consecutive decision. He is winless in his last seven starts.

Justice’s home run gave him 11 in his last 16 games. He is 26 for 65 with 23 RBIs in 17 games since Aug. 5, the day after the Braves traded Dale Murphy to Philadelphia. Justice leads major league rookies in home runs.