Major League Baseball Roundup : Mets Defeat Cubs on Johnson’s Homer in 13th

With both starters long gone and the game well into extra innings, the outcome of Thursday night’s matchup between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs was anybody’s guess. Or was it?

The Mets, in first place in the National League East, were undefeated in games that went beyond nine innings, and Howard Johnson wanted to make sure things stayed that way.

He did so by stepping up to the plate to lead off the 13th inning and hitting Frank DiPino’s second pitch over the center-field fence to give the Mets a 2-1 win over the Cubs, 2-1, at New York.

“DiPino’s very effective throwing a low slider in the dirt,” Johnson said. “He got (Kevin) McReynolds and (Gary) Carter on that pitch the previous inning.

“Tonight, I just made up my mind to be patient, stay back, and see the ball before committing myself. Once you commit yourself, it’s hard to hold up on that pitch.”

His ninth home run of the season gave the Mets their fourth extra inning victory in as many games.

Randy Myers (4-0) pitched 1 innings of hitless relief for the victory.

Damon Berryhill had led off the 10th with his first major league home run, breaking David Cone’s streak of 17 consecutive scoreless innings and giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Cone (7-0) struck out 10 and gave up 5 hits in 10 innings.

New York tied the game in the bottom of the inning when McReynolds singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by pinch-hitter Lee Mazzilli.

Montreal 7, Pittsburgh 3--Andres Galarraga drove in a career-high five runs, including a three-run homer, and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning at Pittsburgh as the Expos handed the Pirates their third straight defeat.

It was Galarraga’s 13th homer of the season, which puts him in a three-way tie for the National League lead.

St. Louis 3, Philadelphia 2--Tony Pena’s infield single scored Tom Brunansky from second base with two outs in the 14th inning to lift the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Phillies at Philadelphia.

It was the third consecutive victory for the Cardinals, who beat the Astros, 3-2, in 13 innings on Wednesday.

In the American League:

Toronto 5, Boston 4--George Bell, Cecil Fielder and Pat Borders homered, and the Blue Jays withstood a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning at Boston to win their third consecutive game.

Bruce Hurst (6-3), who entered the game 5-0 in Fenway Park this season, pitched 8 innings and struck out 11 in a losing effort.

Kansas City 3, Seattle 0--Ted Power pitched a four-hitter and recorded his second shutout in 308 career games as the Royals got past the Mariners at Kansas City, Mo.

Power (2-1), making his 60th major league start, pitched his other shutout June 26, 1987, when he beat the Dodgers, 6-0, while with the Cincinnati Reds. That also was his last complete game.

Texas 10, Chicago 2--Curtis Wilkerson had three doubles and a single and drove in three runs, and Geno Petralli homered as starter Charlie Hough and the Rangers beat the White Sox at Chicago.

The Rangers ended a two-game skid, and the White Sox suffered their 13th loss in 16 games.