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National League Roundup : Coleman Gets Cards Rolling in Ninth, 9-6

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Vince Coleman, the St. Louis Cardinals’ speed demon, did his job on the basepaths Thursday afternoon at San Diego as the Cardinals scored five runs in the ninth inning for a 9-6 victory over the Padres.

Coleman went 4 for 5, stole two bases and scored twice, including the tying run.

Goose Gossage (2-2) took the defeat as the Padres’ losing streak increased to five games.

“We really didn’t like our chances too much when it was 6-0,” said Tom Herr, who drove Coleman in with the tying run when left fielder Carmelo Martinez misplayed his sacrifice fly for a two-base error.

The Padres led, 6-4, going into the ninth. Steve Braun led off with a double, Coleman singled him home, then stole second for his 68th steal of the year.

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“It was a two-run game, but with our speed that’s not a lot,” Herr said. “Anything can happen. When we got Vince on in the ninth, instead of bunting him over, we can have him steal.”

Coleman went to third on a ground-out and scored on Herr’s sacrifice fly. Gossage walked Jack Clark, who had earlier hit a three-run homer (his 19th). Pinch-hitter Mike Jorgensen struck out, but Terry Pendleton bounced a single to center, scoring Herr and Clark. Pendleton also scored as the Padres committed two errors.

Center fielder Al Bumbry’s throw to the infield was wild, allowing Clark to race home, and Pendleton crossed the plate when Gossage’s relay to Terry Kennndy got by the catcher for the Padres’ second error on the play.

Padre Manager Dick Williams told reporters: “I have no comment to make. You saw it, you write it.”

Ken Dayley (3-0) got the victory for the East Division leaders, who have won five in a row.

San Francisco 4, Pittsburgh 3--Catcher Bob Brenly, who had not expected to get into the game, hit a run-scoring double with two out in the eighth inning to give the Giants the victory at San Francisco.

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Brenly’s wife, Joan, had suffered a miscarriage that required surgery just the day before. But Brenly, realizing the club has only two catchers, went to Candlestick Park, anyway.

When Alex Trevino was lifted for a pinch-runner in the seventh, Brenly took over, and his passed ball gave the Pirates an unearned run in the top of the eighth for a 3-1 lead.

Manny Trillo and Chili Davis opened the bottom half with singles, advanced on Cecilio Guante’s wild pitch and scored on Chris Brown’s two-run-single for a tie. One out later, Brenly delivered his game-winning hit.

“I didn’t want to play,” Brenly said, “but with only two catchers, you have to assume you might get into the game. The passed ball was totally my fault. I wasn’t mentally prepared to enter the game.”

New York 6, Houston 3--At New York, Gary Carter hit a three-run homer to help the Mets snap a three-game losing streak and give Dwight Gooden (15-3) his ninth straight victory.

Gooden scattered seven hits and struck out six to increase his major-league leading strikeout total to 163. He walked two in pitching his ninth complete game.

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Mike Scott (9-5) went six innings and took the loss. Scott yielded the homer to Carter (No. 12) to give the Mets a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning. Houston closed within 5-3 in the seventh on an inside-the-park home run by Glenn Davis (his sixth homer of the year), and a homer by Mark Bailey (also his sixth).

Montreal 1, Cincinnati 0--Razor Shines drove in the winning run for the Expos at Montreal with a pinch single in the seventh and then explained: “Any time you have two strikes on you, you don’t look for a particular pitch. You just have to look for the baseball.”

Shines’ hit scored Herman Winningham, who had drawn a walk against loser Tom Hume (1-3) and stolen second.

Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 2--Rafael Ramirez scored the winning run in the ninth inning on a wild throw by second baseman Derrel Thomas as the Braves won at Philadelphia in a game delayed three times by rain.

Ramirez opened the ninth with a single to right off loser Kent Tekulve (4-6). After Dale Murphy struck out, Bob Horner walked. Terry Harper then hit a grounder to third baseman Rick Schu, whose flip to Thomas forced Horner. Thomas, however, threw wildly to first on the double-play attempt, allowing Ramirez to score.

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