National League Roundup : Coleman Lifts Cardinals Past Astros

Vince Coleman, in his 1,914th plate appearance in the major leagues, finally hit a home run that went over the fence.

But that isn’t what had Manager Whitey Herzog and the Cardinals excited Wednesday at St. Louis. It was the baserunning of the fleet left fielder that had the Cardinals’ agog and gave them a 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros.

Coleman, who doubled, singled and stole two bases in addition to hitting his second career home run, was on third with one out in a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning.

With the infield playing in for a play at the plate, Tommy Herr rapped a one-hopper to shortstop Dale Berra. Berra took a look at Coleman, standing some 25 feet from third base, then threw Herr out at first.

Coleman headed for home as Berra made the throw to first. When first baseman Glenn Davis’ throw was a little high, Coleman slid home easily ahead of the tag.

“He (Berra) checked me,” Coleman said, “but when he threw to first, I knew the relay would never get me. If he had thrown to third, he would have gotten me.”

Herzog was more impressed with the final run than the homer, an opposite-field shot that cleared the gate in right field.

“Really, it turned out bigger than the home run,” Herzog said. “That last piece of baserunning was a beauty.”

Coleman’s previous home run was an inside-the-parker off Atlanta’s Len Barker on May 21, 1985. Davis hit a two-run home run in the top of the first for the Astros’ only runs off John Tudor, and Jack Clark hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning, his career-high 34th home run.

Pittsburgh 6, Cincinnati 5--Owner Marge Schott has absolved herself of the blame for the Reds’ collapse.

The Reds’ top reliever, John Franco, couldn’t hold a 5-3 lead in the eighth and lost in the ninth, the Reds’ sixth straight loss. The Pirates swept the three-game series at Pittsburgh and dropped the Reds five games behind the San Francisco Giants.

Al Pedrique singled with two out in the ninth to drive in Johnny Ray, who had doubled, to give the Pirates the victory.

Schott said she holds General Manager Bill Bergesch and Manager Pete Rose to blame for the Reds’ skid. “You have to find ways to put emotion into them,” she said. “That’s the baseball people’s job. I told that to Bill and Pete.”

San Francisco 2, Philadelphia 0--When you’re hot, you’re hot. Shane Rawley had the Giants stymied on two singles and had a career-high 10 strikeouts with two out in the ninth at Philadelphia.

But Chris Speier got a bad-hop single, and Bob Brenly followed with his 15th home run and the sizzling Giants headed home with a 2 1/2-game lead in the West.

Don Robinson, who bailed Dave Dravecky out of a jam in the eighth, retired the Phillies in order in the bottom of the ninth to improve his record to 9-6.

Rawley (16-6) had won eight in a row since losing to the Mets June 27. He had a no-hitter until Mike Aldrete singled in the sixth.

Montreal 6, San Diego 5--Tim Wallach’s two-out, bases-loaded infield single in the 12th lifted the Expos over Padres at San Diego.

Herm Winningham doubled with one out off Lance McCullers, and after Tim Raines was intentionally walked, Mitch Webster singled to fill the bases.

McCullers struck out Tom Foley, but Wallach hit a grounder off shortstop Garry Templeton’s glove to give the Expos a 9-1 record in extra innings.