Games of Tuesday, July 8

                             W      L        Pct.     GB

Houston               48     30       .615     ---
New York            43     31       .581     3
Atlanta                 38     35       .521     7.5
Montreal              36     38       .486   10
Pittsburgh            33     38       .465   11.5
Chicago               33     39       .458   12
St. Louis              33     41       .446   13
Philadelphia         30     42       .417   15

Wednesday's games
Philadelphia (Twitchell) at Houston (Wilson)
Atlanta (Schueler) at Pittsburgh (Kison)

Montreal 11, Chicago 6: The Expos got a two-run homer in the first inning from Ron Fairly and a three-run homer in the ninth from Hal Breeden, but it was four unearned runs in the third that broke the game open for the visitors. Mike Torrez went 6.2 innings for the win, allowing four runs on nine hits. Mike Marshall entered with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth and quickly ended the game with a double-play ball, which earned him a save. Rick Reuschel took the loss.

Houston 2, Philadelphia 1: Cesar Cedeno led off with a homer, and Jerry Reuss spun a two-hitter as the first-place Astros hit the midway point of their schedule. Barry Lersch allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings for the hard-luck loss. Mike Schmidt homered in the fifth for the Phillies' run. 

Philadelphia 13, Houston 2: Del Unser's three-run homer in the first capped a four-run outburst as the Phillies earned the split of the doubleheader. Steve Carlton went the distance, scattering eight hits. Unser had five RBIs. Cesar Tovar had five hits, two of them doubles; he scored three times and drove in a pair. Mike Ryan had a pair of RBI triples. 

Pittsburgh 5, Atlanta 4: Al Oliver hit a two-out two-run homer off Tom House in the bottom of the ninth to flip the score and give the Pirates the win. The Braves had taken the lead in the top of the inning by taking advantage of a Manny Sanguillen error in right field. Ramon Hernandez got the win.

New York 5, St. Louis 4: John Milner tied the game with a double in the seventh and scored on a single by Ron Hodges to give Jerry Koosman just enough runs. Koosman allowed nine hits in his complete game win, four of them in the Cardinals' three-run second. Wayne Garrett opened the game with a homer off losing pitcher Rick Wise. Cleon Jones had four hits. Felix Millan must sit the next three days.