NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mets Turn Up Heat in East, Score 3-2 Victory Over the Sluggish Reds

There is a hot race in the National League East. There is no race in the West.

The Mets, taking advantage of some sloppy play by the Cincinnati Reds, pulled out a 3-2 victory Sunday at New York to take three out of four from the leaders of the West and keep the pressure on Pittsburgh in the East.

The Mets, who have won 19 of their last 22 games, turned three Cincinnati errors into three unearned runs. The surge has wiped out all but one game of a 9 1/2-game deficit the Mets had to make up to get back in the race.

The Reds are 7-7 in their last 14 games. But, because there is no other team in the division ready to make a run at them, they have actually increased their lead from 7 1/2 games to 9 1/2.

The Reds, who still have the best record in the league (46-27), don’t figure to be able to claim that much longer.

They have stopped hitting, their pitching is becoming suspect and suddenly, their defense is getting sloppy.

“We gave them all three runs,” Manager Lou Piniella said. “I don’t understand it. We’ve played great defensive ball all year.”

Joe Oliver’s pinch double off John Franco in the top of the ninth tied the score.

But, in the bottom of the ninth, helped by a slippery field from rain that caused a 91-minute delay in the sixth inning, the Mets won it.

Mackey Sasser opened with a bloop double that left fielder Billy Hatcher probably would have caught under normal conditions. Then, Kevin Elster bunted and Ken Griffey Sr., playing first base, picked it up and threw past third baseman Chris Sabo. Sasser scored easily to end the game.

“I would have had him at third, I just threw too low,” Griffey said. Griffey spent most of his career in the outfield. He was playing his fourth game at first base this season.

Play was stopped with the Mets at bat in a 1-1 game. They had two runners on base with one out. When play resumed, second baseman Mariano Duncan fumbled Darryl Strawberry’s grounder to load the bases. Kevin McReynolds hit a long fly to center to score the run.

A two-base throwing error by Luis Quinones set up the Mets’ first run in the second inning.

Pittsburgh 8, San Francisco 5--The question is, who is going to make a run at the Reds? Apparently, it won’t be the Giants.

They were at home, playing the slumping Pirates, while the Reds were losing three out of four at New York. But the Giants lost two out of three.

The Pirates hit four home runs in this game, including two-run shots by Barry Bonds, Sid Bream and Jay Bell.

The Giants, who might be without ailing veteran Rick Reuschel the rest of the season, continue to have pitching problems. Their staff ERA is 4.10.

Scott Garrelts, who had a 4-0 June, was given four runs in four innings, but lasted only four innings himself.

Another problem for the Giants is Kevin Mitchell’s hamstring injury. Last year’s home run king, Mitchell failed as a pinch-hitter and has gone four for 24 the last week.

The Mets were talking about their series with the Reds being a preview of the championship series, but the Pirates aren’t conceding.

They were encouraged by John Smiley in his first appearance since going on the disabled list May 15 because of a broken finger. Although he only lasted four innings, the left-hander reported no problems. He gave up nine hits and all five runs.

Chicago 11, San Diego 10--How about the Padres? They blew a three-game series to the Cubs, one of the two weak teams in the East, and have lost five in a row.

A former Padre, Luis Salazar, had a hand in winning the last two. He doubled home three runs in the eighth inning of the Cubs’ 7-3 victory Saturday night.

At San Diego Sunday, Salazar hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to help the Cubs erase a 10-7 deficit with a four-run rally.

Jack Clark hit a three-run home run for the Padres and Tony Gwynn ended an zero-for-12 slump with three hits. But the Padres’ Dennis Rasmussen couldn’t hold a 5-1 lead and bullpen ace Craig Lefferts couldn’t hold a 10-7 lead.

Montreal 5, Atlanta 1--Oil Can Boyd held the Braves to four hits in seven innings at Montreal and won for the first time in his last seven starts.

Boyd (4-3) had not won since beating San Diego, 4-0, May 23.

Catcher Mike Fitzgerald drove in three runs for the Expos, who remained 2 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia 8, Houston 4--The Astros, desperate for a starter, brought Danny Darwin out of the bullpen at Philadelphia.

Darwin, who has made 111 relief appearances for the Astros, gave up only three hits and a run in six innings and left with a 3-1 lead.

Shortly thereafter, the roof fell in. The Phillies scored five runs with two out in the eighth.

Although he gave up a run in the ninth, Roger McDowell, who has lost his job as closer, was the winner.