The Week (july 5-11)

BALL PARK FIGURES
According to the Elias Sports Bureau , the following pitchers are allowing the fewest base runners—on hits, walks, hit batsmen—per nine innings:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1. Dennis Eckersley , Bos	10.02
2. Len Barker , Clev	10.48
3. LaMarr Hoyt , Chi	10.53
4. Ken Forsch , Cal	10.71
5. Geoff Zahn , Cal	10.77
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1. Joaquin Andujar , St.L	9.14
2. Mario Soto , Cin	9.15
3. Charlie Lea , Mont	9.91
4. Don Sutton , Hous	10.03
5. Joe Niekro , Hous	10.08

NL WEST

Seeking a few chuckles amid the anguish caused by the decline and fall of the Reds (2-6), The Cincinnati Enquirer announced a contest to guess the date the team will be eliminated from the divisional race. First prize is two tickets to Cincinnati 's final home game; second prize is four tickets. Not only did the Reds lose, but they lost with flair as well. A six-run ninth put Cincy ahead 8-4 in Pittsburgh , but by the end of the inning, the Pirates had won 9-8. Then came successive 12-0 and 1-0 humiliations in Chicago that left the Reds with the worst record in the league. Bruce Berenyi pitched well enough to win the latter game, only to be done in by vintage bungling. Despite a pitchout, Leon Durham of the Cubs stole second and scooted to third when Catcher Alex Trevino 's throw sailed into center. Durham scored when Centerfielder Cesar Cedeno and Rightfielder Duane Walker let an easy fly ball drop between them for a double. There was one moment of ecstasy: a five-run ninth that beat the Pirates 6-3. Wayne Krenchicki hit a three-run homer in that inning as Cincinnati ended its longest losing streak—nine games—in 16 years.

The Padres (6-2) enjoyed happier times. They stole 18 bases in 20 tries, with Gene Richards leading the way with five thefts. Even Terry Kennedy stole a base, his first in 305 games in the bigs. San Diego 's bullpen got two wins and five saves. Sinkerballer Luis DeLeon had three of the saves. Against the Expos, Padre batters erased a 6-0 deficit in the fourth en route to an 8-6 victory. Then San Diego had three straight 5-3 wins, two in Philadelphia , one in New York . Padre lefty Tim Lollar, who hit his third homer of the season while beating the Mets 6-2 for his 10th victory against two losses, was dismayed about not making the All-Star team, as was Reliever Gene Garber of the front-running Braves (3-4). Garber picked up his 15th and 16th saves while trimming his ERA to 1.96. Bob Horner hit his seventh home run in 25 at bats over an eight-game span. Atlanta 's 6-4 defeat of Pittsburgh was the 26th time the Braves had come from behind to win so far this year.

"The chase is on. We're in the hunt and they'll be hearing our footsteps before the race is over." That was the considered opinion of Manager Tom Lasorda of the Dodgers (4-3). Dave Stewart stepped up the pursuit by winning both as a starter (one run in six innings in a 9-3 defeat of the Mets ) and as a reliever (three scoreless innings in Philly gave him a 6-4 victory). Ron Roenicke, who was in a 2-for-30 slump, beat the Phillies with a two-run double in the 11 th as the Dodgers won for only the second time in 30 games in which they trailed after six innings.

The Giants (5-2) weren't exactly stomping at the heels of the Braves, but they did leave some big footprints. Though Bill Laskey gave up eight hits and five walks, he stranded 12 runners and won 3-1 before the largest regular-season crowd—63,501—ever to see the Phillies play at home. Another rookie, Chili Davis , batted .387, and Greg Minton gained his 13th, 14th and 15th saves.

Lusty hitting by Jose Cruz carried Joe Niekro of the Astros (4-3) to a pair of victories. Cruz 's three RBIs did in Pittsburgh 6-4, and his two-run blast in the ninth beat St. Louis 4-2—both on Niekro's behalf.

ATL 51-33 SD 50-36 LA 46-42 SF 42-46 HOUS 37-48 CIN 33-53

NL EAST

"Can I find a bright note?" asked Manager George Bamberger after his Mets (2-6) lost for the 13th time in 17 games. "No. Each day it's something worse." Following three more losses, though, New York beat San Diego 6-3 and 9-7 as Dave Kingman homered twice.

St. Louis (4-3) regained first place briefly as rookie starters John Stuper and Dave La-Point both won. Stuper beat Atlanta 5-2, and LaPoint defeated Houston 3-2. With Bruce Sutter out with a strained groin muscle, Doug Bair became the team's No. 1 short reliever and responded with a pair of saves. Bo Diaz helped the Phillies (3-4) move back on top with two game-winning hits. Diaz ' eighth-inning single beat the Giants 3-2. He then made Dick Ruthven a 4-2 winner over L.A. with a three-run homer.