Credit a save to Lee Smith. And don`t forget to credit his wife, Diane.
As a matter of fact, maybe a standing ovation is in order here.
A few innings before getting the call from manager Gene Michael, the Cubs` stopper got a call from home.
”I`m pregnant! I`m pregnant!” exclaimed Diane, unwittingly providing a 4 p.m. wake-up call to her husband in the Wrigley Field clubhouse.
Smith answered Michael`s call in the eighth inning and shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates to preserve the Cubs` 3-1 victory and earn his 22d save in front of 23,874 fans. It was the only the second time the Cubs have defeated the last-place Pirates in 11 meetings this season.
The Smiths, who both come from large families, have been trying to have a child for about 10 years.
”I don`t know what to say. I`ll have to work more than I have been working. No more days off,” Smith said with a smile. ”I just hope the good Lord helps my wife have a smooth pregnancy.”
Scott Sanderson (6-9) earned the victory after three straight losses. He pitched seven innings, giving up six hits and striking out six. The only run he allowed was a homer to Barry Bonds leading off the game.
”I didn`t want to have to use Smitty, but from the seventh inning on, I trust Smitty the most,” said Michael.
Leon Durham drove in two runs, one with a leadoff homer in the fifth, his 12th of the year and 100th in a Cub uniform, and one with a bases-loaded single in the sixth. Both hits came off left-hander Larry McWilliams (2-8), the Pirates` starter and loser.
”I had been kidding Bull about not hitting many home runs lately,” said Smith. ”I told him he must not want to buy any books and equipment for the kids.”
As is his custom after hitting a home run at Wrigley, Durham donated money to a Chicago high school; in this case, Mather High got $750. He has donated $5,250 to Chicago high schools this season.
”I`ve been trying to stay positive no matter what kind of year it`s been,” said Durham, who is hitting .247. ”The 100th home run is a little milestone for me, and it`s also a little milestone for Lee Smith`s wife.”
Bonds gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead when he hit an off-speed pitch into the left-field bleachers. It was his 12th homer of the year.
”My last few starts, it seemed I always had one bad inning,” said Sanderson, who gained his 75th major-league victory. ”I was determined that that was not going to happen today. I wasn`t going to let things get out of hand.
”With a guy like Smitty in the bullpen, you`re not going to see a whole lot of complete games from our staff, especially when it`s still a close ballgame.
”I give Bonds credit on that homer. He stayed back real well on a breaking ball. But I`ll take that breaking ball that I threw to him eight out of 10 times. Seriously.”
”It has been a typical rookie season for Bonds,” said Pirates` manager Jim Leyland. ”He hasn`t got everything together yet, but he has a chance to be an outstanding player. It`s kind of like the case with Shawon Dunston. He`s got to get his feet wet. He has a chance to be a dominant-type player. He has good instincts in the outfield. He has a chance to hit with power and he has a chance to steal bases.”
The Cubs tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second when Keith Moreland doubled and Jody Davis singled him home.
Durham`s homer put the Cubs ahead 2-1, and his bases-loaded single made it 3-1 and knocked out McWilliams. Mike Bielecki relieved and got out of the inning without further damage.
Smith gave up a one-out double to Bonds in the eighth after center-fielder Bobby Dernier had made an outstanding catch of U.L. Washington`s fading liner. Then Bobby Bonilla and Johnny Ray were retired to end the threat.
”I give Bobby the credit for saving me right then because I would have definitely been in a tougher situation than I was,” said Smith.
Relievers Bielecki and Jim Winn shut down the Cubs after the sixth inning, allowing just one hit.
”Our bullpen has been inconsistent,” Leyland said. ”Sometimes we`ll go out and look like world-beaters, and sometimes we`ll go out and give up leads we can`t afford to give up.”
