National League Roundup : Gooden Reaches Back to ‘85, Beats Phillies, 6-2

Dwight Gooden was almost the perfect solution for the New York Mets’ problems with Lance Parrish and the Philadelphia Phillies.

The controversial right-hander, looking more and more the way he did in 1985, was perfect for 5 innings at New York Wednesday night as he pitched the Mets to a 6-2 victory.

Gooden, who was still undergoing treatment for a drug problem a year ago at this time, pitched a 4-hitter, struck out 11 and improved his record to 4-0. Two of the victories have been against the Phillies, who have trounced the Mets in their other four meetings this season.

Steve Jeltz spoiled the no-hitter when he singled with one out in the sixth. Gooden’s string of scoreless innings ended at 12 when Mike Schmidt hit a two-run home run in the seventh. Schmidt’s home run was his 533rd, which put him just one behind Jimmie Foxx, who is eighth on the all-time list.

In 1985, at 20, Gooden had a 24-4 record and a 1.53 earned-run average. Since then, instead of maturing into one of the all-time great pitchers, he has been beset by personal problems and has failed to approach his banner season.

For instance, although he won 15 games last season, he didn’t pitch at all until June 5 and didn’t win his fourth until June 25.

Gooden had the added satisfaction of stopping Parrish. In the Phillies’ four wins over the Mets, Parrish has hammered them at a .500 clip (8 for 16), has driven in 11 runs and socked 2 home runs.

With an 0-for-3 effort in this game, Parrish is 0 for 5 this season against Gooden.

Among other good things that have happened to Gooden in the early going, he has had both his blazing fastball and his sharp-breaking curve working. There is a sign of maturity, too.

“I’m now prepared for the pressure of being always expected to win,” Gooden said. “The last two seasons I have been concerned about that. It no longer bothers me. I just go out and pitch the best I can.

“I really don’t think I can throw any better than I have in my last two outings. Except for the one pitch to Schmidt, I did everything I wanted to do.”

San Francisco 5, Cincinnati 3--Rick Reuschel continues to give the Giants solid pitching. In this game at Cincinnati, Reuschel gave up six hits in six innings and improved his record to 3-0.

Several times in the early 1980s, it seemed that arm trouble had ended the veteran right-hander’s career. But he was a 13-game winner last year and joined the Giants in time to spark their drive to the division title. He will be 39 next month but shows no signs of being near the end.

Pittsburgh 8, St. Louis 1--About the only consolation for the Cardinals in this game at Pittsburgh was that nobody was hurt.

But playing without Bob Horner, who has a wrist injury, they managed only five hits in seven innings against Bob Walk and lost their fifth in a row.

Darnell Coles broke a fifth-inning tie with a two-run double, and the Pirates (10-3), off to their best start in 26 years, won for the eighth time in nine games.

Houston 1, Atlanta 0--Mike Scott pitched a four-hitter, and Kevin Bass drove in the only run at Houston with a fourth-inning single.

Scott, in winning his third decision without a loss, struck out seven and did not walk a batter. It was his 14th shutout.

Montreal 5, Chicago 1--When the Expos shifted shortstop Hubie Brooks to the outfield this season, it left Manager Bob Rodgers with an unusual situation in the middle of the diamond.

For the two positions, he has three players. He expects Casey Candaele to play 100 games at second base and rookie Luis Rivera to play 100 at shortstop. The swingman is veteran Tom Foley, who will play 50 or so at each position.

As the Expos ran their winning streak to five in a row in this game at Chicago, Foley did his swinging at the plate. Foley, opening at shortstop, singled home the tie-breaking run in the eighth. Brooks hit a three-run homer in the ninth, and the Cubs had lost four in a row, all at home.

Montreal’s Andres Galarraga had three singles and a home run to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.