NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Viola, Franco Lead Mets to Victory

Frank Viola said he let the New York Mets down last season as they failed to win the pennant.

He is making amends this season and has the Mets making their first move.

Although he left the game after five innings because of a slightly stiff back Friday night at Houston, Viola stayed around long enough to improve his record to 4-0.

Mark Carreon’s third home run to open the fourth inning gave the Mets a 1-0 victory over the Houston Astros. The fifth consecutive victory improved New York’s record to 9-7.

Viola, a Cy Young Award winner with Minnesota, was 5-5 after joining the Mets last season. He gave up just two bunt singles before departing Friday.

“It’s nothing serious,” he said of his back. “I won’t miss my turn.”

The most recent addition to the Met pitching staff, John Franco, retired the last five Astros to earn the save. Franco is perfect in six save chances.

“You just can’t imagine the lift we have received from Viola and Franco,” Met Manager Davey Johnson said. “We have not been scoring runs, so each time he has gone out there, Viola has been stingy.

“And, then, there is Franco. Any time we can get enough runs to get ahead, we know he will come in and get us the victory. That’s a wonderful feeling, knowing that I have him ready.”

With Viola pitching so well, Johnson seems to have too many starters. That’s why Ron Darling and Bob Ojeda have had to spend time in the bullpen.

The victory moved the Mets into a three-way tie for second place in the Eastern Division.

The Astros had outstanding pitching, too. Mark Portugal (1-3) gave up just seven hits in eight innings.

Cincinnati 3, Montreal 2--Chris Sabo, off to a fast start, delivered in the clutch again at Cincinnati.

Sabo came up with two outs, the bases full and the score tied, 2-2, in the ninth inning. Tim Burke, a relief pitcher who usually handles Sabo well, was on the mound.

Sabo hit a grounder into left field to give the Reds their 11th victory in 13 games.

“I think I was lucky, but I’m happy,” Sabo said. “I haven’t done well against Burke, but I found a hole. I just got the ball by (Tim) Wallach.”

Sabo took the usually reliable Red bullpen off the hook. Rob Dibble gave up a two-run single to rookie Marquis Grissom in the eighth inning that got the Expos even.

“I just stunk out there,” Dibble said. “I knew the guy was a .186 hitter. I should have stayed with my fastball. I let up and threw a hanging slider.”

Dibble made amends by pitching a scoreless ninth and was the winning pitcher.

The Expos had gone errorless in 44 innings until committing two in the first to give the Reds a run.

Philadelphia 7, Atlanta 1--The season has just gotten under way for most teams, but it may be over for the Braves.

Carmelo Martinez hit a grand slam in the eighth inning at Atlanta to break a 1-1 tie, and the Phillies handed the Braves their fourth consecutive loss.

The Braves (2-12) trail the first-place Reds by 9 1/2 games in the West.

Dennis Cook (3-0) gave up four hits in seven innings for Philadelphia.

San Francisco 12, St. Louis 3--Cardinal Manager Whitey Herzog dislikes Candlestick Park, saying it is a terrible place to play baseball.

Until the Cardinals arrived, the Giants were beginning to think Herzog had a point.

But San Francisco, which had lost all eight of its previous games at home, used 16 hits to rout the Cardinals.

Kevin Bass and Matt Williams hit home runs for the Giants.

Pittsburgh 9, San Diego 4--Wally Backman had six hits in a row and Barry Bonds had four hits, including two home runs, at San Diego to lead the Pirates’ 19-hit attack.

The Pirates, fresh from a sweep at San Francisco, increased their lead in the East to two games with their fourth consecutive victory on this trip West.

Backman didn’t even set a club record. Rennie Stennett, with seven hits in a nine-inning game, holds the record.