NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : It’s Another Home Victory for Mets

The New York Mets would probably be a cinch to win the National League East if they didn’t have to go back on the road.

When they came home from a difficult trip to the West Coast early last week, they were three games out of first place. But they’ll go out on the road again with a half-game lead.

The team with the best home record in the majors completed a 6-0 stand with a 10-6 victory Sunday that about ended the San Francisco Giants’ hopes of repeating in the West.

The Giants, who scored three runs in the first inning against David Cone (11-7) and had 17 hits, lost their fourth in a row and dropped 10 1/2 games behind Cincinnati.

It was the first time the Giants were swept in a four-game series at New York since 1979.

The Mets have 31 games left, including 18 on the road where they have a 30-33 record. They are 46-22 at Shea Stadium.

Because of injuries to their pitching staff, the Giants gave rookie Paul McClellan his first start, but he couldn’t hold the 3-0 lead. He’s the 26th pitcher the Giants have used this season and is the 14th to start a game.

Cone, who has been the Mets’ most consistent pitcher since the All-Star break, gave up the three runs before he retired a batter. He left after giving up 11 hits and trailed, 4-2.

Tim Teufel, who scored three runs, opened the fifth with his eighth home run and the Mets chased McClellan and took the lead for good, 5-4.

“It’s nice to win six in a row at home,” Manager Bud Harrelson said, “but now we have to show we can win on the road, if we want to win it all.”

Pittsburgh 7, Houston 6--The Pirates blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning Friday night, lost in the 10th Saturday night and barely hung on in this one after building a 5-0 lead.

A run-scoring single by Franklin Stubbs brought the Astros to within a run in the bottom of the ninth and they had runners on first and third with one out. But left-hander Bob Kipper struck out Gerald Young and retired Eric Yelding on a routine fly to center to end it.

When the Astros fell short in the ninth, it ended the nine-game winning streak of Danny Darwin (10-2). Darwin gave up a three-run homer to Jeff King in the sixth to fall five runs behind.

The Pirates return home to play Philadelphia. The Pirates, who are 37-27 at home, have 17 home games left and 13 on the road, where they are 39-29.

Cincinnati 6, Chicago 2--If someone had told Manager Lou Piniella a couple of months ago that his most dependable starters in the Reds’ bid to clinch the West would be Jose Rijo and Rick Mahler, he probably wouldn’t have believed it.

Rijo (11-6) gave up nine hits at Chicago, but went the distance for his third consecutive victory. Mahler won his third in a row Saturday.

The newest Red, Bill Doran, filling in at third base, led the attack on Greg Maddux (12-12). He had a double and a single, scored two runs and drove in one.

By winning three out of four from the Cubs, the Reds kept their 6 1/2-game lead over the Dodgers.

San Diego 9, Philadelphia 1--Ed Whitson, one of the hottest pitchers in the majors, won his fifth in a row.

He went seven innings at Philadelphia, giving up six hits. In his last eight outings, including three no decisions, Whitson, who leads the league with a 2.31 earned-run average, has an 0.99 ERA.

Atlanta 5, St. Louis 0--Charlie Leibrandt (7-8) gave up 10 hits at Atlanta, but didn’t walk a batter, so he wound up the winner.

John Tudor (11-4) returned from the disabled list to give up only four hits, but the two walks he gave up in the third inning and Ron Gant’s two-out double were enough to beat him.