NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Tabler Delivers, Mets Close In on Pirates

The joke was that the only reason the New York Mets acquired Pat Tabler was to use him with the bases loaded. It’s no longer a joke.

Tabler, who entered Saturday’s game at New York only because Kevin McReynolds was ejected, came up with the bases loaded in the third inning and the Mets trailing Philadelphia, 1-0.

Tabler singled in two runs to help the Mets defeat the Phillies, 4-2, and move to within one-half game of Pittsburgh in the National League East.

The Mets obtained Tabler from Kansas City Aug. 30 for a minor leaguer. He has only two hits, both with the bases loaded and both figured in victories.

It should come as no surprise. An ordinary hitter under most circumstances, Tabler becomes a terror with the bases loaded. He is 40 for 80 with 97 runs batted in.

“I have no answer for it,” said Tabler, who has been in the majors since 1981 but has never been in postseason play. “I’ve received a lot of notoriety and I think in recent years I put pressure on myself because of it.”

In the last two seasons with the Royals, Tabler had been one for 14 with the bases loaded. Tabler’s clutch hit enabled Frank Viola to improve his record to 19-9. He gave up both runs and five hits in eight innings before John Franco pitched the ninth for his 33rd save.

Terry Mulholland (8-9) had never faced Tabler. He tried to slip a fastball past him and Tabler hit it to center.

“I don’t know Pat Tabler. That’s why they probably got him,” Mulholland said. “But as far as his numbers go, this isn’t a rotisserie league.”

The victory improved the Mets’ home record to 51-23, best in the majors. They have four games left on this home stand as they attempt to overtake the Pirates.

Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 3--While fortune has started smiling on the Mets, misfortune is the word for the Pirates. No matter what they do, they can’t seem to beat the Expos.

Behind home runs from Gary Redus and Andy Van Slyke, Zane Smith went into the seventh inning with a 3-1 lead and a four-hitter.

An error by third baseman Jeff King with one out was the opening the Expos needed. Two speedsters, Marquis Grissom and Otis Nixon beat out infield hits to load the bases.

Junior Noboa hit a sacrifice fly before Nixon stole second. Spike Owen singled to center, both runs scored and the Expos beat the Pirates for the 12th time in 17 meetings.

Chicago 6, St. Louis 2--Surprising as it seems, Cub second baseman Ryne Sandberg could win the National League home run title.

In a tough ballpark to hit home runs--Busch Stadium--Sandberg hit two more to take over the lead with 36.

In addition to hitting a two-run home run in the third inning and a solo homer in the ninth, Sandberg hit a run-scoring single in the seventh when the Cubs broke it open. He has 89 runs batted in.

Sandberg, who hit 30 home runs last season, leads Kevin Mitchell of San Francisco and Darryl Strawberry each by two.

Houston 3, San Francisco 2--The Astros, who have the best home record in the West, dealt the Giants’ title hopes another severe blow.

Ken Caminiti’s bases-loaded single with two out in the 10th inning gave the Astros their second consecutive victory over the Giants.

The Giants remained 6 1/2 games behind the faltering Reds and dropped two behind the Dodgers.

San Diego 5, Atlanta 3--Fred Lynn singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning at Atlanta after the Braves tied the score in the ninth on home runs by Jeff Blauser and Lonnie Smith.