National League Roundup : Expos Slip Past Mets, 5-2, in 12th

The New York Mets, expected to breeze to the National League East title, seem to be busy fighting off one challenge after another.

They finally got some breathing room from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and now they have to get some more from the Montreal Expos.

It may not be easy, unless they remember two things: First, don’t let the game with the Expos go into extra innings. And second, don’t get into a situation in which catcher Mike Fitzgerald comes up with the bases loaded.

Both happened Friday night at New York as the Mets and their new challenger opened a four-game series.

Fitzgerald, involved in the trade that sent Gary Carter to the Mets, came to bat with the bases loaded in the 12th inning and hit a sacrifice fly. Nelson Santovena followed with a two-run single, and the Expos had a 5-2 victory.

The Mets walked Tim Wallach intentionally to bring up Fitzgerald as a hitter for Tom Foley. This season, Fitzgerald is 3 for 5 and has driven in 10 runs when batting with the bases loaded. He is a National League version of Pat Tabler, the Kansas City slugger who has made a career of hitting with the bases full.

Met pitchers had retired 23 of 24 batters from the fourth inning until Tim Raines walked off Randy Myers (5-2) to open the 12th. Andres Galarraga also walked. Both advanced when first baseman Keith Hernandez, after a long run, reached into the stands to catch Hubie Brooks’ pop foul. When Santovena singled in the extra runs, it was only the fourth Montreal hit.

“We’ve felt all along we had a chance to catch the Mets, but we have to do it by beating them, not talking about it,” Fitzgerald said. “Yes, it’s a good feeling to help beat my former club. We need to win at least one of the next two.”

Philadelphia 9-6, Pittsburgh 1-4--The lowly Phillies dealt a severe blow to the Pirates in this sweep at Philadelphia.

Rookie first baseman Ricky Jordan had a part in leading the Phillies to victories in both games.

In the opener, as Kevin Gross (11-8) pitched a six-hitter, Jordan was 2 for 5, scored a run and drove in another. Juan Samuel was the big gun in that one with three hits and four runs batted in.

In the nightcap, Jordan went 3 for 5 and drove in 3 more runs. In the sixth, he singled home Samuel with the tiebreaking run. In the eighth, with the score 4-4, Jordan followed a walk to Chris James with his fifth home run.

The Pirates, who have managed to stay in the race by beating teams with better records than the Phillies’, fell into third place, 5 1/2 games behind the Mets.

San Diego 4, Houston 3--Dennis Rasmussen, just about the hottest pitcher in the majors, gives all the credit to Padre pitching coach Pat Dobson.

“The third day after I was traded here by the Reds,” Rasmussen said, “Dobson saw what was wrong with my mechanics. I was hurrying my delivery.”

By taking his time, Rasmussen has 9 victories in 10 decisions since joining the Padres.

In this game at Houston, Rasmussen, once rated an outstanding prospect but slow to live up to the reputation, gave up 6 hits in 8 innings.

Tony Gwynn led the Padres’ attack. He hit a game-winning double in the seventh and before that had two singles. In his latest streak, he has hit safely in 10 games in a row.

St. Louis 4, Chicago 0--It was only his second victory of the season, but Joe Magrane (2-6) figures it was the best of his young career. On a day at Wrigley Field when the wind was blowing out at 15 m.p.h., Magrane gave up a single to Vance Law in the second inning and that was all.

Magrane, who walked one, retired the last 22 batters he faced. Tom Brunansky’s 16th home run, which came in the fourth inning, helped give Magrane the victory.

Atlanta 9, Cincinnati 4--Dale Murphy, Dion James and Terry Blocker hit home runs at Cincinnati, and Tom Glavine gained his first victory in more than two months.

Glavine (4-13) had lost seven games in a row and had pitched in five no-decisions since winning June 5.

Murphy hit a three-run blast in the fifth for his 22nd home run.