National League Roundup : Trailing, 7-1, Cardinals Rally to Beat Cubs, 11-8

The St. Louis Cardinals in recent years have have had to scratch for runs. They usually have not been adept at overcoming big deficits.

That was BG--Before Guerrero. With clutch-hitting Pedro Guerrero, the Cardinals have been able to rally in the late innings.

The Cardinals trailed, 7-1, after the Cubs cuffed their 18-game winner, Joe Magrane, for eight hits in three innings Friday at Chicago.

But with the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field, Guerrero led the Cardinals to an 11-8 victory. With two on and one out in the eighth, Guerrero hit bullpen ace Mitch Williams’ first pitch over the left-field wall for his 14th home run of the season and a 9-8 Cardinal lead. After a walk, Terry Pendleton also hit a home run, and the Cardinals moved within a half-game of first place in the East.

Guerrero’s two-run single sparked a four-run seventh that put the Cardinals close. He went four for four, lifting his average to .320. The five runs batted in gave him 103, equaling his 1983 total with the Dodgers.

“I get paid to drive in runs,” Guerrero said. “I’ve always been a good hitter. I’m just happy to be getting the opportunities. This year, there seem to be more guys in scoring position, and I concentrate more when there are men on base.”

During a season in which three-fifths of the team’s starting staff and bullpen leader Todd Worrell have gone down with injuries, Magrane has been the Cardinals’ best pitcher.

“After watching him for three innings,” Manager Whitey Herzog said, “I had a migraine. Even after we went ahead by three, I didn’t feel confident the way the wind was blowing.”

With Worrell still ailing, Herzog had reason to be uneasy. Before getting the save, Dan Quisenberry loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. But shortstop Ozzie Smith made a leaping grab of Mitch Webster’s line drive, and Shawon Dunston flied out to center field to end it.

Ryne Sandberg led the Cubs’ early assault. He went four for five, including two home runs, and drove in three runs. Sandberg has 29 homers, three more than he ever hit before in a season.

“It was an awe-inspiring comeback,” said Magrane, who was seeking his 19th victory. “I felt I had let the team down. We’re not the type of team that can come back from big deficits. They need me to pitch well enough to keep them close. I didn’t do it.”

New York 7, Pittsburgh 2--Kevin Elster and Darryl Strawberry broke out of slumps at New York, lifting the Mets to within 2 1/2 games of first place in the East.

Elster, only five for 34 going into the game, had two hits and drove in three runs. Strawberry, who has struggled for more than a month, had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run. It was only his second RBI in the last 20 games.

Bob Ojeda (11-10) went the distance, giving up seven hits and winning for the fifth time in his last six decisions.

After two more games with the Pirates, who lead the season series, 7-5, the Mets have only six more home games. They have 14 road games remaining--and their road record is 27-40.

Philadelphia 4, Montreal 3--The Expos kept letting rookie Jason Grimsley off the hook at Montreal and dropped into fourth place in the East.

Grimsley, who pitched in Class AA this season, walked the bases loaded in the first inning and escaped. In five innings in his major league debut, he gave up five hits and walked six, but left with a 4-1 lead.

Charles Hayes homered off Kevin Gross (11-10) to start a three-run fifth for the Phillies. Gross walked Curt Ford with the bases loaded for the third run of the inning.

Andres Galarraga hit a two-run home run in the eighth, but Roger McDowell retired the last five Expos for his 17th save.

Houston 5, San Francisco 2--Only diehards think the Giants will lose the West, but Manager Roger Craig isn’t ready to claim the title.

The Astros aren’t ready to concede, either. Pitcher Mark Portugal (4-1), Rafael Ramirez and Steve Lombardozzi hit home runs at Houston, and the Astros cut the Giants’ lead to six games with 21 remaining.

Craig’s biggest concern is the wrist injury that has been bothering slugger Kevin Mitchell for several weeks.

“Roger thinks I should rest it more,” Mitchell said, “but I think I have to play through it. There’s a chipped bone in there, and I have to live with it until the season’s over.”

Mitchell played and had a single in four at-bats.

Cincinnati 5, Atlanta 1--Rookie Scott Scudder has struggled this season, but again he was facing the Braves, who are last in the league.

Scudder went 5 2/3 innings at Cincinnati to improve to 4-6. It was his third victory over the Braves.

Herm Winningham tripled and doubled twice, and Luis Quinones extended his hitting streak to 16 games for the Reds. Quinones had three hits and scored two runs.