National League Roundup : Michael Loses the Argument, but Cubs Win the Game, 4-2

Chicago Cub Manager Gene Michael took his cap off to the umpire during an argument over a close play at first base Monday, and he expected the umpire to do the same for him so he wouldn’t get hit with the beak.

“I turned his cap around because he was beaking me with the cap,” said Michael, who was ejected by umpire Dave Pallone in the sixth inning of the Cubs’ 4-2 victory over the New York Mets at Chicago. The argument started when Len Dykstra was called safe on an error at first. Pallone said Leon Durham had pulled his foot off the bag.

Chicago right fielder Keith Moreland also was thrown out of the game for bumping plate umpire Scott Grinder in the fourth inning, and the game was delayed 15 minutes while the ground crew cleaned up debris that fans in the bleachers showered onto the outfield to protest the ejection. Moreland was called out trying to score.

Ron Cey went 3 for 3, including a homer, while Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith combined on a five-hitter for Chicago.

Eckersley (6-6) has won four of his last five decisions and is 3-0 lifetime against the Mets. In seven innings, he struck out six and walked only one, and it was intentional.

Smith pitched two scoreless innings to get his 20th save and tie Bruce Sutter for the Cub career record for saves--133.

Ron Darling (11-4) got the loss.

The outcome snapped a three-game New York winning streak and ended a three-game skid for the Cubs.

The Mets went ahead, 1-0, in the second when Kevin Mitchell doubled and scored on Rafael Santana’s single.

The Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Durham singled, went to second on a walk to Jody Davis and came home on a single by Cey.

Chicago went ahead, 3-1, in the fifth. Eckersley walked, moved to third on Ryne Sandberg’s double and scored on an infield out. Terry Francona doubled Sandberg home.

Cey’s ninth home run over the left-field stands in the sixth inning made it 4-1.

New York narrowed the lead to 4-2 when Howard Johnson and pinch-hitter Mookie Wilson hit consecutive doubles in the seventh inning.

Cincinnati 2, San Francisco 1--After losing six games in a row, the last thing the Cincinnati Reds needed was a no-hitter thrown at them by a rookie looking for his first victory.

That’s just what the Reds were facing until Tony Perez doubled to center field in the seventh inning at San Francisco to break the spell cast by the Giants’ Terry Mulholland.

Mulholland (0-5) took the loss calmly.

“Nobody ever said if you no-hit guys for six innings you’re going to win,” he said.

Trailing 1-0, Cincinnati got to Mulholland at the start of the eighth when pinch-hitter Kal Daniels batted for winning pitcher John Denny and drove a ground rule double that bounced into the left-field stands.

Daniels took third on Kurt Stillwell’s infield single, and Mulholland was replaced by reliever Scott Garrelts. Buddy Bell’s double to left-center on Garrelts’ second pitch scored Daniels to tie the game. Garrelts then walked Dave Parker intentionally to load the bases, and Bo Diaz’s sacrifice fly scored Stillwell with the winning run.

St. Louis 3, Philadelphia 2--When Vince Coleman hit a double and stole third with the score tied in the bottom of the ninth, it looked as if the Cardinals had something going. They did, but Coleman, the leading base-stealer in the majors with 75, didn’t bring home the winning run.

Phillie pitcher Dan Schatzeder (3-3) intentionally walked Ozzie Smith and Tommy Herr to load the bases. Curt Ford forced Coleman at home with a ground ball, but Terry Pendleton followed with a squeeze bunt to first. Von Hayes fielded the ball cleanly but had no chance to throw out Smith.

Todd Worrell (7-8), who pitched one scoreless inning of relief for Tim Conroy, got the victory.

Atlanta 4, San Diego 1--Dale Murphy hit a pair of home runs and drove in three runs, and the Braves made five double plays in support of converted reliever Jim Acker at San Diego.

Acker (2-1), obtained from Toronto on July 6 and making his third start, allowed six hits over eight scoreless innings before he gave up a ninth-inning run.

Padre starter Dave Dravecky (7-9), winless since June 30, battled Acker for five scoreless innings before giving up Murphy’s first home run on the first pitch of the sixth inning. Murphy homered again off Dravecky in the seventh. It was Murphy’s first four-hit game of the season.

Montreal 5, Pittsburgh 4--Wallace Johnson and Tom Foley each drove in two runs in a four-run seventh inning at Pittsburgh as the Montreal Expos ended a three-game losing streak.

For the Expos, it was only their fifth win in 19 games.