National League Roundup : Cardinals Clinch Tie for Title With 100th Win

Veteran right-hander Bob Forsch threw a five-hitter for eight innings, and Andy Van Slyke hit a home run Friday night to help the St. Louis Cardinals clinch a tie for the National League East Division title with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at St. Louis.

The Cardinals (100-60) can win the division outright with another victory or a loss by the New York Mets, who are two games back with two to play. The Mets defeated the Montreal Expos, 9-4, Friday.

In today’s game, the Cardinals will send John Tudor (20-8) against Steve Trout (9-6) of the Cubs.

Forsch, 35-year-old dean of the St. Louis staff, struck out four and did not walk a batter. Todd Worrell relieved in the ninth and notched his fifth save despite allowing an RBI double to Ryne Sandberg and a sacrifice fly by Keith Moreland. Forsch (9-6) retired 13 consecutive batters in one stretch.

Dennis Eckersley (11-7) went six innings for the Cubs, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out four before being knocked out in the seventh.

St. Louis took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Vince Coleman doubled off the glove of first baseman Leon Durham, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Tommy Herr’s sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals went ahead, 2-0, in the fourth on Van Slyke’s 13th home run of the season. It came on the first pitch of the inning.

St. Louis padded the lead to 4-0 in the seventh. Darrell Porter led off with a double and went to third when Bob Dernier booted the ball in center field. Smith tripled and scored when Forsch doubled over a drawn-in infield to bring on relief pitcher Jay Baller, who pitched out of the jam.

“That’s probably the best game I’ve thrown all year,” Forsch said. “I had good velocity. The ball was sinking well. When it’s cooler, you stay stronger longer.”

He said he had a lot of respect for the Cubs.

“They scored 13 runs yesterday,” he said. “I was watching on TV. We knew that they are capable of scoring a lot of runs. If I kept the ball down in the strike zone, I knew I’d be OK.”

Forsch’s effort drew praise from Chicago Manager Jim Frey, who saluted the veteran’s control.

“I’m sure he was pumped up. It looked like he was throwing harder than other nights I’ve seen him. I thought our team played with effort. Our club wanted to win.”

Said Ozzie Smith of Forsch’s performance: “It was just masterful. In the trenches, you want a guy like Bob Forsch in there with you because you know he’s a battler. He’ll give you all he’s got.”

N.Y. Mets 9, Montreal 4--Streaking Keith Hernandez tripled home two runs in a four-run first inning, and Darryl Strawberry had three RBIs for the Mets at New York.

Left-hander Sid Fernandez of the Mets was staked to a quick 4-0 lead but couldn’t hold it as Montreal came back to tie the score at 4-4 with the help of two home runs by Tim Raines.

Raines had a two-run shot in the third inning and, after the Expos pulled within 4-3 in the fourth, the Montreal left fielder hit his 11th home run in the top of the fifth.

The Mets went ahead to stay in the bottom of the fifth. An error by second baseman Vance Law, who booted a potential double play ground ball by Mookie Wilson, put men on first and second with nobody out.

Wally Backman sacrificed the runners up. Hernandez was walked intentionally to load the bases, and Gary Carter delivered the go-ahead run with a squib single over the pitcher’s mound for his 100th RBI of the season. Strawberry then hit a sacrifice fly to put the Mets ahead 6-4.

Fernandez (9-9) won with relief help from Terry Leach and Roger McDowell, who gained his 17th save.

In today’s game, Ron Darling (16-5) is scheduled to start for the Mets against former Met farmhand Floyd Youmans (3-3).

“It would take a miracle for us to win now,” said Hernandez, who had three hits. “I don’t see the Cardinals losing two straight to the Cubs, but it’s not over with yet.”