The Week (june 3-9)

NL WEST

When Manager Sparky Anderson last saw Dan Driessen play for the Reds' Indianapolis farm team, he told him, "You're too ugly to be a movie star. You'll have to be a baseball star." To which Driessen responded, "Yeah, but ain't I cute when I'm hitting?" After 47 games at Indy, in which he had 47 RBIs, hit .409 and was on base 100 times, Driessen joined the Reds. He looked downright handsome as he highlighted a seven-run ninth with a walk and a double to overcome the Cubs 8-4. Johnny Bench had the game-winning hit that day, just as he had earlier in the week when his three-run 10th-inning homer put down the Mets 6-5. Also contributing mightily as the Reds won four of five and took over third place was Tony Perez, who boomed out four homers and had 12 RBIs.

There was Dave Roberts with a 6-3 record and a 2.52 ERA, the best marks on the starting Houston staff. There was Manager Leo Durocher pulling Roberts from the starting rotation and giving the ball to Don Wilson, recently recovered from a broken hand. There was Wilson losing to the Pirates while Durocher hinted that Roberts might be shuttled to the bullpen. "I wouldn't be happy there," said the understandably bewildered Roberts, who earlier in the week had shut out the Phillies.

It was also difficult to comprehend the Giants, who despite their need for pitchers (they gave up 12 walks in one game last week) sold Sam McDowell to the Yankees. For the seventh time in eight tries, Juan Marichal failed to go the route. And the Giants, after four straight wins, were twice drubbed by the rampaging Expos.

San Diego's lone win in six tries came when Ivan Murrell homered in the ninth to defeat the Cardinals 4-3. Willie Davis of the Dodgers chucked his 31-ounce bat, began using a 34-ouncer and homered in three successive games. But the rest of the club lacked punch and the best the Dodgers could do was to split six games.

Eddie Mathews, the Braves' skipper, had breakfast with Chuck Tanner, his counterpart on the White Sox. As a result, Mathews decided that his knuckleballer—Phil Niekro—would go on the Wilbur Wood diet of pitching every third day. Niekro, who had only three wins all year, promptly won twice in four days. And Henry Aaron came two home runs nearer the number.

SF 38-22 LA 34-23 CIN 31-24 HOUS 32-27 ATL 22-33 SD 20-38

NL EAST

Over the fence is double—at least when the umpire says it is. And that's just what happened to Phillie Pitcher Ken Brett. Giant Centerfielder Garry Maddox, believing Brett's drive had cleared the Candlestick fence on the fly, was puzzled when Ump Dick Stello halted Brett at second. Maddox conferred with Rightfielder Bobby Bonds. "Bonds told me the umpire called it a double and to keep my mouth shut," Maddox said. Stello, among others, thought the ball had skipped over on one bounce, which would have made it a ground-rule double. The Giants won that game 5-4, but Brett was not to be denied. His next time out he hit another ball over the fence, was credited with a homer, raised his batting average to .318, beat the Padres 4-1 and cut his ERA to 2.90. Wayne Twitchell, who teammate Jim Lonborg insists has the best fastball in the league, blazed his way past the Astros 4-0 and brought his ERA down to 2.15.

Tim McCarver singled in the 10th to beat the Astros 2-1 and Jose Cruz tripled across two runs to finish off the Padres 5-3 as the Cardinals won three in a row. That made them 16 for 18, a pace that carried the Cardinals from last place to second. But then St. Louis lost three in a row and clunked into fourth place.