Baseball Roundup : Mets’ Party Delayed Again in 13 at St. Louis, 1-0

After coasting all season, the New York Mets have stumbled on the doorstep of the National League East championship.

The St. Louis Cardinals kept the champagne on ice in the Mets’ clubhouse by outlasting New York, 1-0, in 13 innings Monday night at St. Louis.

The defeat was the fourth in a row for the Mets and left their magic number at two for clinching the East title. One more victory assures New York of at least a tie. The Mets, who have lost six of their last seven games, lost to the Cardinals for the first time in eight meetings at Busch Stadium this season.

“I’m not really concerned about the loss,” Met Manager Davey Johnson said. “I’m not really worried about it. I’m not uptight.”

Roger McDowell (13-9) walked pinch hitter Curt Ford on a 3-and-2 count with the bases loaded to force home Willie McGee in the 13th.

“It was a fastball,” said McDowell, indicating his displeasure with plate umpire Billy Williams’ call. “I saw it in (catcher Gary Carter’s) glove after it crossed the plate.

“You might want to ask Billy Williams if it was a strike. I’m not the umpire and I don’t make the calls.”

Said Ford: “It wasn’t anything I could hit. It wasn’t close. It was a ball. It was tight.”

McGee drew a leadoff walk in the 13th and was sacrificed to second by Andy Van Slyke. McGee took third on an infield single by John Morris, and Terry Pendleton walked on four pitches to load the bases before Ford walked.

New York 5, Baltimore 3--Don Mattingly hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to rally the Yankees past the Orioles at New York.

The home run came off reliever Don Aase but made a loser of Mike Boddicker (14-11), who struck out 10 but is 0-6 in his last nine starts and has not won since Aug. 4.

Mattingly’s home run was his 26th, but his first since Aug. 30. He also had a double and increased his hitting streak to 15 games.

Mattingly is 5 for 6 with two homers and a double against Aase this season.

Tim Stoddard (4-1) earned the victory with one inning of relief, and Dave Righetti finished up for his major league-leading 40th save.

Baltimore has lost four in a row and seven of eight.

Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh 0--Don Carman pitched a four-hitter, and John Russell drove in four runs with a double and triple as the Phillies won their fourth straight game by blanking the Pirates at Philadelphia.

Mike Schmidt drove in the other run with his major league-leading 36th home run, the 494th homer of his career, moving Schmidt past Lou Gehrig into 14th place on the all-time list.

Carman (9-5) struck out four and walked one in his first major league shutout.

Pittsburgh’s Tony Pena singled in the second, stretching his hitting streak to 15 games.

Toronto 5, Milwaukee 2--Willie Upshaw had three hits, including a three-run homer, to spark the Blue Jays past the Brewers at Milwaukee.

Upshaw is 6 for 11 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in the last three games.

John Cerutti (9-3) pitched seven innings, and Tom Henke went the last two innings for his 21st save.

Milwaukee’s Bill Wegman (4-12) lasted five innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits. In his last three starts, he is 0-2 with a 13.50 earned-run average in 10 innings. Wegman hasn’t won at home since June 10, a stretch of eight starts.

Chicago 7, Montreal 3--Chico Walker had four hits, scored two runs and drove in one as the Cubs beat the Expos at Montreal.

Jamie Moyer (6-4) allowed two runs and nine hits in five innings, and Scott Sanderson pitched the final four innings to earn his first save since 1983.

Sergio Valdez (0-2) lost his second major league start, allowing four runs in five innings.

Mitch Webster hit his eighth homer for the Expos.

Cleveland 4, Minnesota 0--Tom Candiotti pitched a seven-hitter, and Tony Bernazard broke a scoreless tie with a fifth-inning homer as the Indians turned back the Twins at Cleveland for their fourth straight victory.

Candiotti (14-11), who struck out five, pitched his third shutout to outduel Minnesota’s Frank Viola (14-12). Candiotti’s 14th complete game tied him with Bert Blyleven of the Twins for the AL lead.

The Twins lost for the ninth straight time on the road.

Texas 6, Oakland 2--Pete O’Brien’s two-run double in the third inning triggered a four-run outburst and the Rangers beat the A’s at Oakland.

The victory kept the Rangers within 9 games of the Angels in the West.

Charlie Hough (13-10) allowed the A’s just three hits in five-plus innings, and Dale Mohorcic pitched the final three innings for his seventh save. Oakland’s Dave Stewart (9-3) got his second straight loss.

The A’s runs off Hough came on homers by Mickey Tettleton and by Carney Lansford.