NAMES AND NUMBERS

With six saves in the Atlanta Braves’ last eight games, the previously erratic Alejandro Pena has re-emerged as the club’s closer, but General Manager John Schuerholz still is trying to eliminate bullpen concerns by pursuing Lee Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Dodgers’ publicity department faxed a release to newspapers throughout the nation pointing out that 16 teams have won division or league titles after trailing by 10 or more games at the All-Star break. Eight teams have done it since the start of division play, but the record comeback from the largest and latest deficit was by the 1964 Cardinals, who trailed by 11 games on Aug. 23.

Eric Anthony, long touted as a Houston Astro outfield prospect, seems to have arrived. Anthony has driven in 42 runs in his last 59 games.

The lack of speed on the Boston Red Sox has reached new depths. Ellis Burks, on the disabled list since late June because of a bad back, is still the club leader with five stolen bases.

No surprise that Doug Drabek pitched the Pittsburgh Pirates to a four-hit, 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Thursday’s first game of the second half. Drabek is 28-30 before the All-Star break and 54-26 after it. Drabek, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, has given up only nine runs in his last six starts and is 3-1 with an 0.77 earned-run average in his last four.

The resurgence of the Montreal Expos is all but certain to get Manager Felipe Alou a multiyear contract, but Alou’s challenge is only beginning. The Expos, during the second half, have played better than .500 only once in the last eight years.

The All-Star break might or might not have cooled off Cincinnati Red Manager Lou Piniella, fuming over what he believes were a series of uncaring performances by his team and a trade demand by part-time outfielder Glenn Braggs, of which Piniella said: “If he doesn’t want to play here, he can take his uniform and go somewhere else. How’s that?”