National League Roundup : Hernandez’s Return Pays Off for Mets, 3-2

The New York Mets merely marked time until their leader returned.

Keith Hernandez, after missing 52 games, came back with a bang Friday night. The left-handed-hitting first baseman hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie at Pittsburgh and give the Mets a 3-2 victory over the Pirates Friday night.

When Hernandez went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury June 24, the Mets led the National League East by 6 1/2 games. But while Hernandez was recuperating, the Mets were merely a .500 team (26-26), and the lead dwindled to four games.

For the last couple of weeks, the Mets, who have had trouble scoring runs, kept saying, “Wait till we get Keith back.”

His return couldn’t have been more dramatic. With one out in the seventh inning and Wally Backman on second base, left-hander Dave Rucker came in to face Hernandez. The count went to 3-0, and Hernandez drove the next pitch over the right-field wall for his sixth home run.

“I don’t like to have all that pressure put on me,” Hernandez said. “The number one thing is that I helped the team win. It was nice to be back and do this on the first day after you’ve been out so long.

“I didn’t sleep too well last night, and I was jittery when I came to the plate the first time. I told myself to relax, that I’d been doing this for 14 years.”

Hernandez doubled in the first inning to set up the Mets’ first run.

Ron Darling (12-7) gave up home runs to two former Dodgers, R.J. Reynolds and Sid Bream, but managed to improve his record to 10-2 against the Pirates, who fell five games back in the opener of the four-game series.

Atlanta 8, San Francisco 5--The Giants were in good position to gain ground against either the Dodgers or the Houston Astros. All they had to do was beat the lowly Braves.

But Andres Thomas and league-leading hitter Gerald Perry each drove in three runs at Atlanta, and the Braves won for just the 37th time in 108 games.

The Braves knocked out Don Robinson (3-2) in the fourth inning and gave Rick Mahler (9-10) an 8-1 lead. He needed bullpen help in the eighth, when the Giants scored twice.

The Giants remained 4 1/2 games behind the Dodgers but are 2 behind the surging Astros.

Mahler, celebrating his 35th birthday, gave up 8 hits and 4 earned runs in 7 innings. He started out by serving up a home run to former teammate and close friend Brett Butler on the first pitch of the game.

Philadelphia 9, Chicago 3--Mike Schmidt would have had quite a few more home runs if Wrigley Field in Chicago had been his home park.

The slugging third baseman hit his 48th home run at Chicago to give him a career total of 541. He has 1,001 extra-base hits and is tied for eighth in the league in that department.

Milt Thompson was 4 for 5 and drove in 4 runs as the Phillies jumped on Greg Maddux (15-6). Maddux, who was 15-3 at the All-Star break, gave up 11 hits and 8 runs in 2 innings.

Montreal 3, St. Louis 1--The Expos, battling to stay within range of the Mets, just need three more pitchers as sharp as Dennis Martinez.

Martinez, with his second consecutive complete-game victory over the Cardinals in a week, pitched an eight-hitter at St. Louis. Sunday at Montreal, he beat them, 2-0, on a three-hitter.

The Expos have won 10 of their last 12 and are 6 1/2 games behind the Mets. Martinez (13-7) has won 10 of his last 11 decisions.

Cincinnati 10, San Diego 7--Eric Davis hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the seventh inning at Cincinnati, and the Reds climbed to the .500 mark for the first time since May 24.

The Padres jumped in front with three runs in the top of the first inning, but the Reds pounded out 15 hits, including three each by Davis and Paul O’Neill.