Mumphrey Hits Pinch-Hit Homer to Help Lead Cubs Past Mets, 8-5

If any of the pennant contenders in baseball are looking for a switch-hitting outfielder, Jerry Mumphrey is available.

Mumphrey, whose tie-breaking three-run pinch homer in the eighth inning Tuesday at Chicago carried the Chicago Cubs to an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets, said he wouldn’t mind being traded to a contender.

“I just want to let the Cubs and baseball know that I can still play,” said Mumphrey. “I just want to let them know I wouldn’t mind being traded to make it easy on the Cubs if they want to trade me.”

Mumphrey made himself more attractive to contenders when he hit his three-run homer, his third of the season, with two outs in the eighth inning after Keith Hernandez had hit a three-run homer to lift the Mets into a tie in the top of the eighth.

Ron Cey, who hit a two-run homer in the second and has been on base nine straight times with seven hits including two homers and a pair of walks, started the eighth with a single.

Manny Trillo also singled and Shawon Dunston sacrificed and was safe at first when Tim Teufel drew an error for pulling his foot off the bag.

Terry Francona then hit into a home-to-first double play before Mumphrey hit his third homer of the season.

Lee Smith, 7-7, was the winner and Roger McDowell, 9-6, took the loss.

Smith pitched the last two innings in relief of Chicago starter Jamie Moyer, who lost his bid for his first major-league complete game when the Mets scored three times in the eighth.

Mookie Wilson, who homered leading off the game, singled to open the inning and Teufel also singled before Hernandez homered to left.

After giving up a leadoff homer to Wilson, his seventh, in the first inning, Moyer limited the Mets to three hits until New York came alive in the eighth.

Cey hit his 10th homer in the second inning after Jody Davis’ double, Gary Matthews singled in a run in the fifth and Dunston delivered a two-run, bases-loaded single in the sixth as the Cubs built a 5-2 lead. All the runs came off Mets starter Sid Fernandez, who was trying to break a two-game losing streak.

Fernandez was touched for eight hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings. Moyer allowed with five runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Royals 8, Blue Jays 6--At Toronto, George Brett hit a two-run homer and Kansas City scored five runs in the third inning helped by two errors and a wild pitch as the Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays.

Rookie Scott Bankhead, 5-5, who had lost five of his last six decisions, gave up five runs on seven hits over seven innings. Bud Black relieved, and Steve Farr got the last out for his sixth save.

All of Toronto’s runs scored on four homers -- two by Lloyd Moseby, who now has 16 this year. Moseby’s two and George Bell’s were with the bases empty. Rick Leach hit a three-run homer in the seventh.

Dennis Lamp, 2-6, making only his second start of the season, also made a three-base throwing error in the third inning.

Mike Kingery started the third with a walk. Jim Sundberg hit a single to right that Jesse Barfield bobbled for an error, putting runners at second and third. Angel Salazar singled Kingery home and Sundberg to third.

Lonnie Smith then hit a bouncer back to the mound. Lamp, rather than trying for the double play, threw to third in an attempt to catch Sundberg off the base. His low toss skipped past Rance Mulliniks for a three-base error. Sundberg and Salazar scored; Smith went to third.

Lamp then unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Smith to score uncontested. Lamp left an out later after Brett singled. Brett moved to second on a groundout and scored on Steve Balboni’s single.

Salazar collected his second RBI of the game in the sixth with a double after Sundberg had walked.