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National League Roundup : For a Day, Strawberry Lives Up to Potential

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Obviously, one of the reasons the fans voted for Darryl Strawberry as a starter in the All-Star game, was his awesome potential.

Some of that potential burst forth Saturday at New York, and the former Crenshaw High School star hit two home runs--a grand slam and a three-run shot--plus a triple, drove in seven runs and scored three to lead the Mets to a 16-4 trouncing of the Atlanta Braves.

Strawberry hit the slam in the first inning, and with Dwight Gooden on the mound for the surging Mets, the Braves had no chance. Gooden went only six innings, giving up two hits, one a home run by Glenn Hubbard, and improved his record to 14-3. It was Gooden’s eighth win in a row since losing to the Dodgers May 25.

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There was the usual talk of taking the vote away from the fans when Strawberry, who was batting only .229 and had recently returned to the lineup after an injury, was chosen to start last Tuesday night at Minneapolis.

Now in his third season with the Mets, the 23-year-old outfielder may not have lived up to some people’s expectations, but Met Manager Davey Johnson doesn’t like playing without him.

When Strawberry injured his thumb making a diving catch in right field May 11, the Mets were leading the East with an 18-8 record. After surgery and a long recovery, Strawberry returned June 30 to find his team in fourth place, five games back. They were 20-25 in his absence.

Although the .216 average that he had before he was hurt has risen only to .242, the Mets are 14-4 since he returned. It is Johnson’s opinion that the Mets wouldn’t be battling to regain first place if Strawberry hadn’t been injured.

“We were 18-8, and he was just showing signs of starting to hit,” Johnson said. “The last few days he’s been swinging the bat again the way we know he can.”

Strawberry told the Associated Press that much of the credit for his big day should go to batting instructor Bill Robinson.

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“I talked with Robinson before the game,” Strawberry said. “He told me to stand straight up at the plate. I was leaning too far back. He told me I had been doing it right in practice but not in a game.

“I heard him (Robinson) holler at me when I came up in the first inning. I got a slider that hung for my grand slam. It was the best day of my young career. I’m satisfied with my performance today. It was the first time that I have upstaged Dwight, but it won’t be the last.”

Strawberry’s hitting triggered one of the Mets’ biggest onslaughts ever. Howard Johnson, Danny Heep and Clint Hurdle also hit home runs. The five homers tied the club record.

Johnson also had a double and a single, scored three runs and drove in two. Ordinarily, his performance would rate raves, but this day belonged to Strawberry.

Strawberry hit his three-run homer in the fourth off Len Barker and tripled to open the sixth.

Gooden, the major league strikeout leader, had four strikeouts to give him 157 in 162 innings.

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“I’m in the best groove I’ve been in,” the 19-year-old right-hander said. “I’m confident with everything I have. The difference in this season and last is that I’m not making the same mistake twice. Last season, I let a lot of hitters get away after getting ahead of them. I’m more relaxed, too.”

San Diego 4, Pittsburgh 2--After extending his winning streak to 11 and his record to 13-4 in this game at San Diego, LaMarr Hoyt figured he was a bit lucky.

“Today was not one of my better days,” he said after allowing five hits and two runs in eight innings. “I wasn’t quite as sharp as I wanted to be. I wasn’t changing speeds as well as I usually do. Fortunately, they swung at some pitches I didn’t think they would go after.”

Hoyt’s string of innings without a walk ended at 29. He yielded one and has given up 14 in 146 innings. He gave up a home run to Steve Kemp in the second and a run in the eighth on doubles by Kemp and Marvell Wynne.

Rich Gossage pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 20th save.

Chicago 2, San Francisco 1--Manager Jim Davenport was not at all happy after his Giants were held to four hits and a run at San Francisco by Dick Ruthven and two relievers.

“We can’t get a man in from third with less than two outs,” he said. “We’re not taking advantage of situations they’re giving us. That’s why we’re not winning.”

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Ruthven held the Giants hitless until Dan Gladden tripled with two out in the fifth and scored on a bloop single by Brad Wellman. George Frazier and Lee Smith followed in relief with two scoreless innings apiece.

Montreal 6, Houston 1--The American League All-Stars were a little shook up by Nolan Ryan’s wildness Tuesday night, but in that game his control was almost perfect compared to this one at Montreal.

The veteran fireballer gave up only three hits in 6 innings, but he walked eight, hit two batters, gave up four runs. His record fell to 8-7.

About the only consolation for the slumping Astros was the end to their scoreless string at 42 innings when they put together three singles with two out in the ninth. Until the futile rally, Bill Gullickson was on his way to pitching the fourth consecutive shutout against the Astros. It was only the second complete game for Gullickson (9-6).

Philadelphia 10, Cincinnati 6--Juan Samuel hit a home run, a double and a single and drove in five runs at Cincinnati to lead the Phillies’ 13-hit attack.

Ron Robinson, the first of five Reds’ pitchers, was knocked out in a four-run sixth inning and lost for the first time after five victories.

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Shane Rawley (7-6) gave up three runs in seven innings to earn the victory.

--DAN HAFNER

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