National League Roundup : Mets Listen to Johnson, Get 9-6 Win

After the New York Mets lost their fourth in a row Monday night at Pittsburgh, Davey Johnson called a meeting.

Apparently, the manager of the world champions said the right things, because the Mets responded with a 9-6 victory Tuesday night over the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

Rafael Santana, hitting .205 going into the game hit a three-run home run in a six-run fourth inning that enabled Bob Ojeda to even his record at 2-2.

Ojeda, in two seasons in the National League, is 6-0 against the Pirates.

The clever left-hander was breezing along with a 7-2 lead when he fell apart in the eighth. Barry Bonds hit a three-run home run and, when Johnny Ray also homered, Ojeda was gone.

The Mets wrapped it up with two more in the ninth in a rally that was cut short by a triple play. With runners on second and third, Wally Backman grounded to second. He was thrown out at first and, Gary Carter and Darryl Strawberry, the baserunners were both tagged out in rundown plays.

“It was weird,” Pirate Manager Jim Leyland said. “I’ve never seen a triple play made that way.”

Johnson would not say what he told his players in the meeting.

“There were some things I had to express and get out in the open,” Johnson told UPI. “Our pitching hasn’t been what it’s supposed to be. In fact, it’s downright scary. We haven’t been playing like we’re capable of playing.”

If the Mets hadn’t won, he probably would have had something to say to Strawberry and Carter for their atrocious baserunning.

“After the Pirates went ahead, 2-0, it was like a wave went across our bench in the fourth inning,” Ojeda said. “I can’t describe it. Even if the final score was 16-15, we were going to win it.”

The Mets have beaten the Pirates 20 of the last 22 times they have met.

Houston 7, Atlanta 6--Last season, a knack for pulling out victories in the final at-bat helped the Astros win the West.

They showed they can do it this season, too, getting four in the bottom of the ninth to pull it out.

Denny Walling’s single with the bases loaded and two out drove in the winning run.

Zane Smith had the Astros under control and was leading, 5-1, after six innings. A three-base error by center fielder Al Hall contributed to two unearned runs for Houston in the seventh.

But, it was 6-3 going into the bottom of the ninth. Alan Ashby homered, but Paul Assenmacher struck out Craig Reynolds and Mark Bailey. Gene Garber came in after Assenmacher walked Bill Doran. Three consecutive singles and an intentional walk to Kevin Bass set the stage for Walling.

Chicago 5, St. Louis 4--Jody Davis homered in the ninth inning at St. Louis to give the Cubs the victory in a rain-delayed game in which the Cubs blew a 4-1 lead.

After a 27-minute rain delay in the seventh, the Cardinals scored twice to tie the game. Vince Coleman came out of a 1-for-13 slump by singling home the two runs. He stole second for his 12th steal. But, he was out trying to steal third just before Tommy Herr doubled.

Davis hit his third home run in the ninth to make a winner out of Dickie Noles.

San Diego 3, Cincinnati 2--The Reds, because of the fine outing by Mario Soto, really couldn’t feel too bad about losing at San Diego when Garry Templeton’s two-out single in the eighth scored Steve Garvey with the winning run.

Soto, just returning from arm trouble that threatened to end his career, gave up just three hits in six innings and departed with a 2-1 lead. It was his first start after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder last August.

Ron Robinson gave up the tying run in the seventh and Rob Murphy lost it in the eighth. Garvey started the rally with an infield hit.