NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Surprising Montreal Closes In on Leaders

The Montreal Expos were picked by many to finish last in the National League East this season.

In a couple of years management dismantled a strong pitching staff and lost some other good players.

But with two weeks left in the regular season, the Expos are in the pennant race.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have lost six in a row and the New York Mets don’t appear to want the lead. Meanwhile the Expos, 9 1/2 games behind 10 days ago, are only 4 1/2 back.

After blowing a 3-0 lead for Oil Can Boyd, the Expos fought back to beat the Mets, 4-3, Tuesday night at New York on a run-scoring pinch-single by Junior Noboa in the ninth inning.

Darryl Strawberry hit a three-run home run against reliever Scott Ruskin in the eighth to tie the score.

Tim Raines, 11 for 29 in his last seven games, singled with one out in the ninth against Met relief ace John Franco, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before Noboa punched his hit to left.

The Mets could have moved into first place with a victory, but still trail the Pirates by half a game.

“We sneaked up on them,” Expo Manager Bob Rodgers said. “We haven’t had any pressure on us and suddenly, we find we have a chance. Isn’t that amazing?”

The Expos, relaxed and apparently feeling no pressure, have a couple of things going for them. For one, they have five more games against the slumping Mets. And, when the Mets and Pirates meet in the last three games at Pittsburgh, the Expos will be at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Expos have not been generous in their treatment of Boyd. In 20 of his last 24 starts he has given up two or fewer runs. But he has only nine victories to show for his effort. This was the 12th time since May 3 that Boyd has pitched well without getting a decision.

The Mets, who expected to take command on their 10-game home stand, pulled to within striking distance with a victory Saturday. But they have blown chances and lost three of their last four at home.

Chicago 8, Pittsburgh 5--The Pirates had to know that their late-season nightmare was not over when Jerome Walton hit John Smiley’s first pitch at Chicago for a home run.

It triggered a six-run first inning that enabled Greg Maddux to go the distance and improve to 14-13.

Damon Berryhill hit a three-run home run to chase Smiley (8-10). Smiley retired only one batter.

“It’s remarkable to lose six in a row and still be in first place,” said Bobby Bonilla, who had two of the six Pirate hits and drove in three runs.

Despite the losing streak, the Pirates do not appear to be nervous.

“If we play like we’re capable, we’ll do fine,” Manager Jim Leyland said.

“If not, we’re in trouble. I can’t worry about the Mets or Montreal. All I’m concerned about is our team.”

Maddux said when his teammates gave him six runs in the first inning, all he wanted to do was throw strikes.

“It’s easy to relax with a 6-1 lead,” he said.

Philadelphia 6, St. Louis 3--John Kruk hit a three-run home run and rookie Jason Grimsley won his second game despite walking eight in five innings at St. Louis.

Phillie Lenny Dykstra’s bid to win the batting title took a sudden turn for the worse.

Former Cardinal Willie McGee, now helping the Athletics win the American League West, left the league with a .335 average and has enough at-bats to qualify for the NL batting title.

Dykstra was hitless in five at-bats and his average dropped to .331.

San Diego 8, Houston 1--Joe Carter, Jack Clark and Bip Roberts hit home runs to lead the Padres to their fourth victory in a row.

Ed Whitson (13-8) gave up six hits in seven innings.