NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Astros Squander a Big Chance

Clutch hitting is one of the primary assets of a playoff team. That factor--or the lack thereof--was why the Houston Astros looked more like a wild-card wanna-be than a true contender Thursday.

The Astros went only two for 15 with runners on base and lost, 4-2, to the Mets at New York on a night they could have moved within 1 1/2 games of the Dodgers.

“Absolutely. That was the difference,” Houston Manager Terry Collins said. “If you get two-out hits, that makes the difference. If you want to get into the postseason, you’ve got to have them.”

With 16 games left, the Astros trail the Dodgers by 2 1/2 games in the chase for the wild-card spot. The Dodgers, who were idle Thursday, have 15 games remaining.

“I’m done watching the scoreboard,” Collins said. “You have to take care of yourself now. You have to win games and worry about what we do, not worry about anything else.”

Rico Brogna broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his team-leading 19th. The 420-foot line drive to center field also gave him a team-high 61 RBIs.

Dave Mlicki gave up only four hits in seven innings before Paul Byrd worked the eighth and John Franco pitched the ninth for his 23rd save. Mlicki walked five, but Astro hitters repeatedly failed to drive in runs when they had the opportunities.

Houston’s first three hitters--John Cangelosi, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell--were a combined 0 for 11, and Bagwell made the last out in three innings.

Cincinnati 8, San Diego 1--Eddie Taubensee drove in two runs with his eighth homer and David Wells scattered four hits at Cincinnati as the Reds reduced their magic number for clinching the NL Central to five.

Wells was coming off two losses, in which he lasted four innings each, and started Thursday’s game as if he was headed for trouble again. He gave up a first-pitch triple and a run-scoring double, but then shut down the Padres the rest of the way.

“My last couple of games had been really terrible,” said Wells, who is 5-3 with the Reds after going 10-3 with Detroit. “My mechanics were all screwed up. I came out of the first inning a little bit frustrated.

“I decided I couldn’t let that happen again. I had to bear down.”

He did, and pitching coach Don Gullett pointed out a minor adjustment that the two had seen on film. So from the rough start, Wells gave up only two weak singles and a walk in throwing his third complete game since being acquired by the Reds on July 31.

Philadelphia 7, Pittsburgh 2--Charlie Hayes singled in two runs in a three-run fifth inning at Pittsburgh.

Paul Wagner, at 4-15 the NL’s loss leader, put seven consecutive runners on base in the fifth with five hits and two walks. Andy Van Slyke singled in the first run and Hayes’ two-out hit came with the bases loaded.

Paul Quantrill (11-9) posted his second victory in his last eight starts. He worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and two runs.

In the first inning, Jacob Brumfield had the Pirates’ first steal of home exclusive of a double steal since Cangelosi was successful against Montreal on Sept. 15, 1987.

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Wild-Card Races

AMERICAN LEAGUE

* Division Leaders

*--*

Team Division W L Cleveland* Central 90 39 Boston East 77 51 Angels West 72 57

*--*

* Wild Card

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Team W L Pct. GB Seattle 67 62 .519 -- New York 67 62 .519 -- Texas 66 63 .512 1 Kansas City 64 63 .504 2 Milwaukee 61 67 .477 5 1/2 Oakland 61 68 .473 6 Chicago 59 68 .465 7 Baltimore 59 70 .457 8

*--*

NATIONAL LEAGUE

* Division Leaders

*--*

Team Division W L Atlanta* East 81 48 Cincinnati Central 78 50 Colorado West 68 59

*--*

* Wild Card

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Team W L Pct. GB Dodgers 68 61 .527 -- Houston 65 63 .508 2 1/2 Philadelphia 65 64 .504 3 Chicago 63 64 .496 4 San Diego 62 66 .484 5 1/2 San Francisco 61 67 .477 6 1/2 Montreal 61 67 .477 6 1/2

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* Clinched division title