The Week (april 11-17)

NL EAST

Balls hopped out of Eastern parks like a bunch of Easter bunnies. The most resounding thumper of all was Mike Schmidt of the Phillies, who had been demoted from third to sixth in the batting order because he was hitting .167. Schmidt drove in eight runs and socked four consecutive home runs in an 18-16 mauling of the Cubs. (Only three other major-leaguers have ever hit four straight in one game: Bobby Lowe in 1894, Lou Gehrig in 1932 and Rocky Colavito in 1959.) The Cubs led 13-2 in the fourth, but eventually were done in by Schmidt's fourth blast, a two-run line drive to left-center in the 10th. Earlier Jim Lonborg of Philadelphia (2-2) notched his first victory since last July by stopping the Expos 8-2 on six hits.

The Cubs (3-2) slugged seven homers, but gave up 11. Three were tape-measure pokes by Dave Kingman of the Mets (2-4): a 600-foot smash in a 6-5 loss to the Cubs and 450- and 500-foot clouts that polished off Chicago 10-8. Kingman had five home runs during the week the last in a 17-1 romp in which Jerry Koosman beat the Pirates for the 20th time in his career.

Dave Parker drove across five runs as Pittsburgh (4-1) drubbed St. Louis 14-4, and Doc Medich made his National League debut a success by squelching the Mets 3-1.

The Expos spoiled Mickey Lolich's league debut, beating the Mets 7-6. Montreal (2-2) also put down Philadelphia 8-5, thanks to strong relief work by Wayne Granger and a superlative back-to-the-plate catch by Centerfielder Jerry White.

Dressed in their new "victory blue" uniforms, the Cardinals wound up blue—and victoryless—in their first two games wearing them. They were thrashed 14-4 and 9-3 by the Pirates. Then Ted Simmons had three RBIs in a 4-3 win over the Expos.

PITT 5-1 CHI 4-3 NY 4-4 PHIL 2-3 MONT 2-4 ST. L 2-4

NL WEST

"If the Reds have any weakness, it's the third-string catcher on their Indianapolis farm team," said Giant Manager Bill Rigney. That was not quite accurate, for the world champions were hampered slightly by bees, nonhitting by first-string Catcher Johnny Bench, nonpitching by Don Gullett and even by friendship as they won three of five. Right before the start of a game with the Giants, about 10,000 bees invaded Riverfront Stadium, many of them buzzing around the visitors' bat rack. The game was delayed half an hour until two fans familiar with bees coaxed them into a makeshift cardboard hive. Fred Norman then took the sting out of the Giant bats with an 11-0 four-hitter.

Bench, hitless in 21 at bats, ended perhaps his worst-ever slump in that game with one of the 17 doubles the Reds hit during the week, but erstwhile stopper Gullett remained unsigned and not in good enough condition to pitch. Joe Morgan tried to help his friend Jerry Royster of the Braves, who was 0 for 14, by giving him one of his bats. Royster repaid the kindness by whacking out four hits as the Braves whipped the Reds 10-5. Meanwhile, Morgan did some lusty hitting of his own, batting .412. Also contributing mightily were Pete Rose (.571 and 10 runs scored) and Ken Griffey (.454 and 10 RBIs).