National League Roundup : Gooden Gives Mets a Lift to 5 1/2 Games Back

Dwight Gooden missed the first two months of the season while undergoing drug rehabilitation, but hard-throwing right-hander has taken up the pitching slack at a time when the New York Mets need it most.

Gooden (9-3) pitched a solid eight innings Tuesday night at New York in the Mets’ 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Gooden gave up six hits and a run and struck out a season-high 11 batters. He also had two hits and drove in a run.

With several other pitchers ailing, the Mets are making a move behind Gooden and Ron Darling. With Montreal beating the St. Louis Cardinals, the Mets moved to within 5 1/2 games of first place in the National League East.

Just before the game, the Mets put Sid Fernandez, their top left-hander, on the disabled list with a shoulder problem. Counting Gooden, the Mets have had seven pitchers on the disabled list. Two of them, Bob Ojeda and Rick Aguilera, aren’t expected back.

“I’m not surprised at all the strikeouts,” Gooden said. “That’s the best fastball I’ve had all season. When I came out of the bullpen after my pregame warmups, I told Mel (pitching coach Stottlemyre) that I had good stuff.

“I knew I would have a good game. I had an attitude that I could throw it by them. But at the end, I was tired.”

After throwing 142 pitches and changing sweat-shirts three times in the heat and humidity, Gooden was glad to stop after eight innings.

Roger McDowell, who relieved Gooden, allowed four hits and two runs in the ninth, but he got Mike Schmidt on a line drive to center to end the game with the potential tying runs on base.

Gooden made his first appearance June 5, going 6 innings for the victory. He has been especially effective at home, where he has a 6-1 record.

Montreal 10, St. Louis 5--The Expos, on the verge of falling out of contention in the East, turned to their leader in this game at Montreal.

They moved Tim Raines into the lead-off spot for the first time this season and he responded by leading them out of their slump.

After the Cardinals chased Neal Heaton with a five-run first inning, Raines brought the Expos charging back. He singled to start a four-run rally in the fifth, then hit a two-run home run in the sixth to break the game open.

The Cardinals, who had won four straight, had only one hit in the last seven innings.

The Cardinals, still without hitting star Jack Clark, who has a shoulder and elbow injury, lost another player, Tom Herr, who fouled a pitch off his knee in the first inning and had to leave the game.

Chicago 3, Pittsburgh 2--If they didn’t have the sensational Andre Dawson, the Cubs would be fighting to stay out of the cellar.

Dawson led off the 11th inning at Pittsburgh with his 32nd home run, tying his career high set in 1983. The NL leader in home runs and runs batted in (93) hit an 0-and-1 pitch by Bret Gideon deep into the lower right-field bleachers for his 13th game-winning run batted in.

Pirate rookie Mike Dunne was leading, 2-1, and had allowed only four hits when, with two out in the eighth, he gave up consecutive singles to Dave Martinez, Ryne Sandberg and Leon Durham to enable the Cubs to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Houston 5, San Francisco 4--Glenn Davis got an infield hit with two out in the eighth inning at Houston to drive in the winning run and put the Astros into second place in the West, 3 1/2 games behind Cincinnati.

There were two out with runners on first and third when Davis’ grounder was fielded by second baseman Rob Thompson. Thompson threw to shortstop Randy Kutcher, whose foot was off the second base bag. It was ruled a hit and, when Dave Smith retired three batters in a row, the Giants had fallen four games behind the Reds.

The Giants jumped in front, 2-0, in the first inning. One of the runs was Kevin Mitchell’s 13th home run, the 22nd given up by Bob Knepper.

Atlanta 12, San Diego 7--Ken Oberkfell doesn’t hit home runs and drive in many runs.

In this game at Atlanta, Oberkfell hit his second home run of the season and drove in four runs. Dale Murphy, who is accustomed to hitting home runs, hit a three-run blast for the Braves, his 29th of the season.

John Kruk hit two home runs and drove in seven runs for the Padres.