National League Roundup : Martinez Gets Win for Expos

Dennis Martinez should just enjoy his victory over New York instead of trying to understand it.

In his second start since being summoned from the minor leagues, Martinez threw a three-hitter Monday night at Montreal, giving the Expos a 4-0 victory over Dwight Gooden and the Mets.

“I don’t know how I did it but I feel good,” Martinez said. “I just prayed every time I got a batter out and I think I got better as the game progressed.”

Martinez, released by the Baltimore Orioles last season, signed as a free agent on May 1 and was brought up from Indianapolis on June 8. Two days later, Martinez allowed three hits and two runs in seven innings without getting a decision in a 4-3 Expo win over Pittsburgh.

Monday night, Martinez walked three and struck out six.

“A win is a win no matter who you play,” Martinez said. “It doesn’t matter if the team is the Mets or anybody else.”

Gooden (2-1) was making his third start since returning from drug rehabilitation. He pitched seven innings, allowing seven hits and four walks. He struck out seven.

The Expos scored a run in the first inning. Casey Candaele led off with a walk and Herm Winningham hit into a fielder’s choice. Winningham stole second, went to third when Tim Raines grounded out, then scored on a single up the middle by Tim Wallach, who had only three hits in his previous 26 at-bats against Gooden.

Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 1--Rookie right-hander Mike Dunne, pitching against the team that traded him in spring training, fired a three-hitter to lift the Pirates past the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Dunne (2-1) pitched his second consecutive complete game. In just his third major league start, Dunne, the 13th member of the 1984 Olympic team to make it to the majors, walked seven and struck out five.

The Pirates acquired Dunne as part of the April 1 trade that sent All-Star catcher Tony Pena to St. Louis. Dunne was the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the 1984 draft.

The other two players in that trade also helped the Pirates snap the Cardinals’ four-game winning streak. Andy Van Slyke’s double in the seventh inning put the Pirates ahead, 2-1. Mike LaValliere drove in Pittsburgh’s first run.

Philadelphia 3, Chicago 2--Steve Bedrosian set a National League record for saves in consecutive appearances, and Glenn Wilson scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the ninth inning at Chicago as the Phillies extended the Cubs’ losing streak to five.

Bedrosian pitched the ninth inning for his ninth straight save and 16th of the season. He had been tied at eight with Clay Carroll of Cincinnati, Bruce Sutter of St. Louis, Rich Gossage of San Diego and Dave Smith of Houston.

Sparky Lyle of the New York Yankees set the major league record with 11 consecutive saves in 1973.

Wilson led off the ninth with a single off Lee Smith (2-4). With one out, Wilson stole second and went to third on Greg Gross’ single to left. With pinch-hitter Rick Schu at the plate, Lee Smith threw a wild pitch, enabling Wilson to score.

Houston 4, Cincinnati 0--Mike Scott struck out 14, tying a career high, and pitched a seven-hitter over eight-plus innings, leading the Astros over the Reds at Cincinnati.

Scott (8-3), who did not walk a batter, is tied with Seattle’s Mark Langston for the major league lead with 116 strikeouts. He won his third straight decision and the fifth in his last six starts.

The 1986 Cy Young Award winner struck out 14 on Sept. 14, 1986, in a 3-2 loss to San Diego and did it again on Oct. 8 in Game 1 of the National League playoffs, beating the Mets, 1-0.

Dave Smith entered the game in the ninth after Bo Diaz reached on an error by Terry Puhl and stuck out three batters.

The defending Western Division champion Astros have won eight of their last 11 games.