National League Roundup : Carter Hits Two Homers as Mets Edge Padres

Gary Carter hit two home runs, including the game winner with two out in the eighth inning, as the Mets defeated the San Diego Padres, 4-3, Saturday at New York. The Mets have won 8 of their last 10 games.

Carter’s first home run brought the Mets within 3-2 in the sixth inning. His second, on a 3-and-2 pitch from Lance McCullers (7-7) was his 21st of the season.

Carter, who came off the 15-day disabled list Monday, has driven in 19 runs in his last 18 games.

“The shadows were playing havoc at that time, and I was just trying to pick up the ball,” Carter said of his eighth-inning home run.

“My first homer was on a change-up, and I was really surprised that McCullers threw me a fastball, even though he’s a power pitcher. I just jumped on it.”

Len Dykstra opened the eighth with a double to center, was sacrificed to third and scored on Keith Hernandez’s single to right, tying the score at 3-3. McCullers replaced Craig Lefferts and picked off Hernandez before Carter hit the homer.

Jesse Orosco (6-5) pitched two innings of one-hit relief for the win.

San Diego collected 13 hits, 12 off Met starter Ron Darling, who worked the first seven innings.

Steve Garvey opened the second inning with a homer and drove in his second run in the third inning when the Padres scored twice. Garvey is now 44 for 138 in his last 35 games. In that span, he has 7 homers, 32 RBIs, 6 game-winning hits and a .319 average.

John Kruk hit a one-out single in the third inning and scored on Kevin McReynolds’ double to center. Garvey followed with an RBI single.

Houston 7, St. Louis 6--Jose Cruz hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning as the Astros came from behind to beat the Cardinals at Houston.

It marked the 22nd time this season that the Astros have won in their final at-bat. Charlie Kerfeld (9-2) worked one inning for the victory.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to look back sometime in October and say this was one of the biggest victories for us,” Houston Manager Hal Lanier said. “When you win these dramatic games, it’s got to be a lift to a team.”

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Glenn Davis singled off loser Todd Worrell (8-10). One out later, Cruz hit Worrell’s first offering off the screen in right field for his seventh homer of the season and his 10th game-winning RBI.

“I think I’m one of the best clutch hitters in baseball,” Cruz said. “That’s what people expect me to do. I’m a free swinger, and if they get it around the plate, it’s going to be hit.

“And I hate to be the last out.”

St. Louis went ahead, 6-5, in the top of the seventh on Ozzie Smith’s infield out.

The Astros gave Bob Knepper a 5-0 lead, but he was unable to hold it and failed for the fourth straight time to get his 16th win.

Cincinnati 5, Chicago 1--Ted Power and Ron Robinson combined on a six-hitter, and Dave Parker drove in two runs at Cincinnati as the Reds handed the Cubs their seventh straight loss.

The victory boosted the Reds to 70-65, the first time they’ve been five games over .500 this season. They’ve won 10 of their last 13 to secure a hold on second place in the National League West, trailing Houston by seven games.

Power (6-6), making his fourth consecutive start after 229 relief appearances, yielded five hits and one unearned run in the first seven innings. Robinson checked the Cubs on one hit in the final two innings. Chicago starter Dennis Eckersley (6-9), who hasn’t won since Aug. 4, lasted six innings, giving up seven hits and two runs.

Atlanta 4, Pittsburgh 2--Bob Horner drilled his first career grand slam as the Braves beat the Pirates at Atlanta.

Horner had held the major league record for most home runs in a career, 209, without hitting a grand slam.

The Braves won despite getting only two hits off five pitchers. Glenn Hubbard had the other hit for the Braves, a third-inning single. Pittsburgh relievers John Smiley, Bob Walk, Hipolito Pena and Don Robinson combined to throw five innings of hitless ball.

Atlanta pitcher David Palmer (11-8) surrendered eight hits over six innings but earned the victory. Jeff Dedmon threw hitless relief over the final three innings to earn his third save. Stan Fansler (0-1) took the loss in his major league debut.

Montreal 3, San Francisco 1--Luis Rivera singled home two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning at Montreal as the Expos beat the Giants.

San Francisco starter Kelly Downs took a three-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the eighth but left after Tim Raines led off with a double. Andre Dawson greeted Frank Williams (2-1) with an infield single that sent Raines to third.

Tim Wallach followed with a grounder to third baseman Luis Quinones, who threw the ball past first base for an error, allowing Raines to score and putting runners at second and third. Rivera then grounded his single up the middle.

Bob McClure (1-3) pitched one inning to win his first National League game. Jeff Reardon finished for his 30th save.