NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mets Win on Strawberry’s Homer

The New York Mets won their 10th consecutive game and Darryl Strawberry extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a home run as the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4, Thursday night at New York.

The Mets, who have won 19 of their last 22 games, set a club record with their 20th victory in June and moved into second place in the National League East, a half-game ahead of the Montreal Expos.

“Darryl said this could be a preview of the playoffs,” said Met Manager Bud Harrelson, who is 20-7 since replacing Davey Johnson. “We need to show we can beat them.”

Strawberry hit Jose Rijo’s 3-and-1 pitch over the 396-foot mark in right-center field leading off the sixth inning. It was Strawberry’s 16th home run and gave him eight homers and 23 runs batted in during his hitting streak.

Dwight Gooden (7-5), who won his fourth in a row, allowed four runs, 10 hits and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings. He has 103 strikeouts this season, second in the league to Ramon Martinez’s 121. John Franco finished to get his 14th save.

St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 1--Bob Tewksbury held the best hitting team in the majors to four hits in 8 2/3 innings and Willie McGee had three hits and two RBIs as the Cardinals ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over the Pirates at St. Louis.

Tewksbury (3-0) didn’t allow a hit until Jose Lind singled down the right-field line to lead off the sixth, and had a shutout until the ninth when Jay Bell and Andy Van Slyke singled and Bobby Bonilla hit a sacrifice fly. After he walked Barry Bonds, Lee Smith came in to get his eighth save.

McGee had a two-run triple in the fourth inning off Doug Drabek (8-4) to put the Cardinals ahead, 3-0. Tim Jones had an RBI single in the second inning, during which the Cardinals had two runners thrown out at the plate. Jose Oquendo had a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Chicago 3, Montreal 2--Pinch-hitter Marvell Wynne hit a bloop single that drove in the winning run with one out in the ninth inning as the Cubs beat the Expos at Chicago.

Wynne, batting .168, was two for 17 as a pinch-hitter when he batted for Domingo Ramos with runners on first and third. The Expos pulled their infield in but left their outfield back, and Wynne’s fly ball to center fell in front of outfielder Dave Martinez.

Luis Salazar, who had hit a home run earlier, led off with a single against Bill Sampen (6-1). Pitcher Les Lancaster (6-4), sent up to sacrifice, walked on five pitches.

Shawn Dunston then hit a long fly to center field that moved pinch-runner Gary Varsho to third base, and Wynne singled over the drawn-in infield.

Houston 2, San Diego 1--Eric Anthony doubled home Craig Biggio from first base with one out in the 10th inning to lift the Astros over the Padres at Houston.

Biggio singled with one out off Mark Grant (1-1), and Anthony pulled a double into the right-field corner. Biggio easily beat the throw to the plate by Tony Gwynn.

Larry Andersen (4-1) pitched two innings of relief, giving the Padres just one hit.