National League Roundup : Expos Limit Mets to Four Hits in 3-2 Victory

The New York Mets, apparently convinced they are the best team in baseball, are not about to be deterred by a little thing like an early-season batting slump.

Four Expo hurlers held them to four hits Saturday at Montreal and the Mets lost, 3-2, their third defeat in a row after a victory in the opener over St. Louis.

In their mild skid, the Mets have scored six runs and accumulated only 16 hits.

Darryl Strawberry was the spokesman for the Mets, who have been favored by many to win everything for the last three seasons, but have done it only once.

“There’s no reason to panic,” he said. “We were 2-3 last season after five games, so it isn’t that much different. We really haven’t got out of the box, and we haven’t put anything together since the opener. Maybe Doc (Dwight Gooden) can change things tomorrow.”

While the Mets are playing down their shortcomings, it was an exciting day for rookie relief pitcher Gene Harris of the Expos, who are 4-1. He gave up a hit and a run in two innings, but was the pitcher of record when Spike Owen hit a seventh-inning sacrifice fly to snap a 1-1 tie and put the Expos ahead to stay.

“It’s exciting, even if I did give up the run to get the victory,” said Harris, a 24-year-old right-hander. “After all, the first one was against the best team in baseball. Maybe, I can start a trophy case with this ball.”

Bryn Smith pitched two-hit ball for the first five innings and Tim Burke got the last three outs to save it. David Cone (20-3 last year) lost his first start, giving up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Chicago 5, Pittsburgh 3--Domingo Ramos has been in and out of the majors since he played one game with the New York Yankees in 1978. Much of the time was spent as a little-known utility infielder for Seattle.

He is becoming better known in Chicago. When Shawon Dunston suffered a hamstring injury Thursday, Ramos, 31, took over at shortstop.

Ramos had two hits and scored a run in the Cubs’ 6-5 victory Friday and came right back in this game to hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put the Cubs in front to stay.

It was the third loss in a row for the Pirates after a win in the opener. A former Pirate, Mike Bielecki, got the victory.

Philadelphia 5, St. Louis 4--Mike Schmidt continues to provide the spark to the Phillies’ offense. He doubled in the 11th inning at Philadelphia and scored on Ricky Jordan ‘s double.

After Tom Brunansky’s two-run home run in the fifth off Don Carman gave the Cardinals a 4-2 lead, the Phillies battled back.

Dickie Thon doubled in the eighth inning to chase Scott Terry. With Von Hayes up, the Cardinals brought in left-hander Ken Dayley. Against left-handers last year, Hayes batted .129.

However, he tagged Dayley for a game-tying home run. It was the first home run off Dayley since Darryl Strawberry of the Mets hit one Oct. 1, 1985, at Busch Stadium.

Houston 6, San Diego 2--Jim Clancy gave up six hits and struck out eight in 8 1/3 innings at Houston and breezed to his first National League victory.

Clancy, signed as a free agent to a three-year contract for $3.45 million, outpitched another former American Leaguer, Walt Terrell.

Clancy gave up doubles to Garry Templeton and Terrell for a run in the fifth, then departed after Marvell Wynne homered in the ninth.