NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Gooden Plenty Sharp, but Mets Still Lose, 2-1

Dwight Gooden has been saying all spring that he is a better pitcher at 26 than he has ever been. His first three outings this season indicate he may be right.

However, Gooden, who was a 24-game winner before he turned 21, may not match his record of last season when he was 19-7.

The Mets are having problems scoring runs and more problems playing defense.

Gooden, going for his third consecutive victory Friday night at Montreal, gave up four hits, one earned run and struck out six in seven innings. Instead of the victory, though, the hard-throwing right-hander had his first defeat.

An error by shortstop Howard Johnson led to an unearned run and the Expos eked out a 2-1 victory, their third win in a row.

When the Mets ended the Expos’ string of shutout innings at 22 with a run in the eighth, it was only their third run in the last three games, all losing efforts.

Dennis Martinez, outpitched by Gooden last Saturday when Dr. K struck out 14, won this time. He gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Delino DeShields opened the Expos’ first inning with a triple to right. He scored when Johnson bobbled Ivan Calderon’s grounder. Calderon stole second and scored on Tim Wallach’s single to right. Johnson sprained his right thumb on Calderon’s grounder and left in the third inning.

The Mets have made 11 errors in 11 games.

Mark Carreon batted for Gooden in the eighth and doubled with two out, scoring on Vince Coleman’s single.

“You know you have to pitch well against Gooden,” Martinez said. “And when they went out and got the runs I did my best.”

Pittsburgh 5, Chicago 4--When Andre Dawson hit a dramatic grand slam in the top of the ninth at Pittsburgh it appeared the Cubs had pulled out a victory.

But the Pirates jumped on Dave Smith, who had been perfect in four previous save opportunities, to win it in their half of the ninth.

Smith’s wild pitch let in the tying run and Eric King’s two-out single sent home the winning run.

Until Dawson’s pinch slam, Andy Van Slyke and Vicente Palacios had been the stars of the game. Van Slyke had hit a two-run home run and driven in all three runs. Palacios gave up one hit in 6 2/3 innings.

The Cubs had given Dawson the night off. But when Stan Belinda loaded the bases with two out in the ninth, Dawson was summoned. Dawson hit the first pitch for his fifth grand slam.

Belinda wound up the loser.

“It wasn’t pretty,” King said of his game-winner. “The pitch was the same one I swung through when the count was 1-0.”

Dawson didn’t swing through anything.

“I can only remember one other pinch-hit home run,” Dawson said. “I knew he’d try to get ahead right away. I thought I’d lifted it too much, but I got enough bat speed to drive it.”

Despite Dawson’s presence, the homer surprised Pittsburgh Manager Jim Leyland.

“The way Belinda was throwing, I didn’t think it would wind up the way it did,” Leyland said.

Cub starter Danny Jackson strained a groin muscle in the third inning and had to leave.

Cincinnati 8, Atlanta 3--The Braves hit three home runs for Reds’ tormentor Tommy Glavine at Atlanta, but Glavine lost on his own wildness.

Glavine, who was 9-2 lifetime against the Reds, gave up only one hit in a four-run fourth inning, but Glavine walked four and hit a batter.

Jack Armstrong, routed by the Braves last week, gave up home runs to Deion Sanders, Sid Bream and Ron Gant, but settled down to get the victory.

St. Louis 3, Philadelphia 1--The Cardinals, who opened the season for three teams, finally opened their own home season after a rainout marred the celebration Thursday night.

Todd Zeile enjoyed it as much as anyone.

The third baseman batted .162 last season with runners in scoring position. It was the worst in the National League.

But Zeile’s two-run single was the winning blow in the sixth inning and it gave Bob Tewksbury the victory.

“I’m glad to have last year behind me,” Zeile said. “It’s a new year and I’m feeling good. I’m trying not to put stress on myself when we have men on base that I have to do something extra. It’s a different attitude.”

Lee Smith got the last five outs and has saved all five Cardinal victories.

San Francisco 5, Houston 2--Emergency starter John Burkett had the benefit of two-run home runs by Kevin Mitchell and Will Clark at San Francisco.

Burkett gave up six hits in eight innings. He replaced Scott Garrelts, who has flu.

Mitchell’s home run was his sixth, the most in the majors.

Jeff Brantley got the final two outs for the save after the Astros loaded the bases in the ninth against Dave Righetti.