National League Roundup : Cardinals Are Hitting; Forsch Stops Expos, 9-1

Such publications as Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News have decided that the New York Mets are the class of baseball and that their winning the National League East is a mere formality.

It may be that the powerhouse Mets will have to convince the St. Louis Cardinals of their invincibility.

The Cardinals have sent tempestuous 21-game winner Joaquin Andujar packing and have lost 18-game winner Danny Cox with an injury. They don’t appear to be ready to concede, however.

After getting a run for each hit in winning their first two games, the Cardinals banged out 12 hits Friday night at St. Louis to rout the Montreal Expos, 9-1, and win their third game without a loss.

The Cardinals had only two hits in their first game and four in the second, but in the third inning of the third game, Willie McGee, Jack Clark and Tito Landrum hit home runs. For McGee, the National League batting champion, the two-run homer was his first hit of the season--in his ninth at-bat.

After the game, though, the raves were for Bob Forsch. The one-time ace of the Cardinal staff, but winner of only 11 games the last two seasons, pitched brilliantly.

He gave up seven hits in eight innings to gain the victory and also helped himself at bat with a two-run single.

“That’s as good as I think I’ve seen him pitch in a long time,” said Clark, who had three hits. “He had good stuff and hit all the spots. His performance gave us a big lift.”

In three games, the Cardinals’ depleted pitching staff has given up only four runs and 18 hits.

“When people don’t give you any credit, it’s kind of a challenge,” said Forsch, who was bothered by arm problems for nearly two years. “I think last year that’s the way it was with our bullpen. Maybe that’s the way it will be this year with our starters.”

New York 9, Philadelphia 7--It isn’t as though the Mets aren’t playing well. They trail the Cardinals only because they’ve played just two games.

At Philadelphia, Gary Carter hit a home run and drove in five runs as the Mets held off a belated rally by the Phillies.

The Mets gave Ron Darling a 9-2 lead in four innings, but he couldn’t make it through five. The victory went to Bob Ojeda, who gave up one run in 3 innings of relief.

Carter’s home run was his 22nd at Veterans Stadium, the most by any visiting player.

Houston 2, Atlanta 1--Glenn Davis, the Astros’ powerful first baseman, hit a 400-foot home run in the seventh inning at Houston, then went straight to the weight room after the game.

“I want to keep up my strength and stay healthy,” said Davis, whose blast nullified an outstanding pitching performance by David Palmer of the Braves.

Palmer struck out 10 and gave up only three hits before the home run.

Chicago 5, Pittsburgh 4--On a cold night, there were 46,463 fewer fans on hand at Pittsburgh than there were on opening night. But the crowd of 2,490 saw Steve Trout, who was 4-0 last season against the Pirates, hold Pittsburgh to four hits before retiring after six innings with a groin injury.

Although he gave up two runs in the ninth, Lee Smith finally got the Pirates out to earn his first save.

San Diego 4, Cincinnati 3--Tim Flannery singled with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning at San Diego to give the Padres the victory. Former Dodger Ted Power was the loser.

The Reds took a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning on a home run by Bo Diaz. But the Padres rallied to tie it in the bottom of the inning. Jerry Royster’s single scored the run that sent the game into extra innings.