Fernandez’s 5-Hitter, Dykstra’s RBI Single Help Mets Defeat Astros, 5-2

Sid Fernandez pitched five-hit ball for eight-plus innings and Len Dykstra’s run-scoring single broke a fifth-inning tie as the New York Mets defeated the Houston Astros, 5-2, Friday in the opening game of a twi-night doubleheader.

Fernandez, 10-6, who had not won since June 21, struck out seven and walked one. In his last four starts, he had three losses and a no-decision. The Astros led off the ninth with two singles off the left-hander and Roger McDowell came on to get his 13th save.

Nolan Ryan, 4-12, lost his seventh-straight decision, allowing two runs on four hits in five-plus innings. Ryan, who has not won since June 12, has not completed any of his 20 starts this season. He struck out two and walked four.

With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth, Bill Almon singled with one out and was sacrificed to second by Fernandez, who had three sacrifices in the game, setting a team record for most sacrifice bunts in one game. Dykstra followed with a single to left, scoring Almon.

The Mets scored three unearned runs in the eighth off reliever Larry Anderson. Keith Hernandez led off with single and moved to third on Darryl Strawberry’s double. With the infield in, Lee Mazzilli’s grounder to first was bobbled by Glenn Davis, allowing Hernandez to score.

Gary Carter followed with a ground ball to short and Bill Doran made a wild throw to home allowing Strawberry to score and Mazzilli to move to third. Howard Johnson made the score 5-1 with a sacrifice fly.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead when Davis led off the second inning with his 16th homer to left field on a 3-0 pitch.

New York tied the score 1-1 in the third on a walk to Almon, a sacrifice by Fernandez, and a two-out single to left field by Wally Backman.

The Astros loaded the bases in the ninth on three singles with none out. Kevin Bass made it 5-2 with a sacrifice fly.