NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Black Is Giants’ Stopper Against Gooden, 2-0

The matchup at New York Sunday appeared to heavily favor the Mets, with Dwight Gooden facing Bud Black and the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants had lost five in a row overall, and eight in a row against the Mets.

Moreover, Gooden was 3-1 with a 2.43 earned-run average. Black, barely above .500 in nine seasons in the American League, was 1-3 with an ERA of 5.09 since signing with the Giants.

So, what happened? Gooden pitched his usual solid game, but Black was outstanding, pitching a five-hitter to end the Giants’ skid, 2-0.

Gooden gave up six hits in eight innings, but one of them was Kevin Mitchell’s eighth home run and another was a first-inning triple by Willie McGee. McGee scored on a grounder by Will Clark, who leads the majors in runs batted in with 26.

Both of Black’s victories have been shutouts.

In two starts between the shutouts, he was hammered for 14 runs. He struck out six Mets and walked only two.

“Our chances looked dim, to say the least,” Giant Manager Roger Craig said. “Dwight Gooden is among the best and that’s why I said we needed a shutout or somebody to drive in five runs.

“Most of the time a losing streak comes to an end when you least expect it. I certainly didn’t expect it today.”

Black had never seen Gooden in person. “I knew about him, though,” Black said. “I knew if I put a couple of runners on and made a bad pitch, I was a loser.”

Mitchell, who entered the game with only five hits in his previous 37 at-bats, hit a hanging curve in the seventh for the final run.

The Mets, who put third baseman Gregg Jefferies on the 15-day disabled list with a rib cage injury, lost shortstop Kevin Elster with a groin injury in the fifth inning.

Cincinnati 4, St. Louis 2--Lee Smith knew he wasn’t perfect and he proved it in the eighth inning at Cincinnati.

In 11 previous outings this season, he had two victories and nine saves and was keeping the Cardinals in the race in the East.

But he didn’t have it when he entered the game in the eighth inning to try to save a win for Jose DeLeon.

The Cardinals led, 2-0, with two out and a runner on third. Barry Larkin doubled to score a run and Eric Davis, just off the disabled list Saturday, hit his first home run of the season, making Smith the loser. Smith, who didn’t retire a batter, gave up another run before he was replaced.

Houston 6, Pittsburgh 4--Doug Drabek (1-5) has no idea why hitters are having such an easy time solving him.

The Cy Young award winner was almost unbeatable last year, posting a 22-6 record in pitching the Pirates to the East title.

Drabek gave up seven hits and three runs at Pittsburgh, two of them earned in five innings. He has an ERA of 4.08.

Mark Portugal (3-1) lasted into the eighth inning to get the win. He was helped by Jeff Bagwell, who hit a long pinch home run in the eighth for the Astros.

It was only the fourth ball hit into the upper deck in left field at Three Rivers Stadium. Bob Robertson, Greg Luzinski and Howard Johnson did it. It was estimated the ball traveled 456 feet.

In the three-game series, the Pirates’ Andy Van Slyke, Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds were one for 30.

San Diego 6, Montreal 3--Benito Santiago hit a three-run home run at Montreal and Jim Presley hit a solo shot to help Ed Whitson (2-3) end a three-game losing streak.

The Padres scored only three runs in the three defeats. In this one, Whitson struck out eight, and got away with giving up a three-run homer to Marquis Grissom.

Chicago 9, Atlanta 6--Mark Grace, Ryne Sandberg and George Bell hit home runs at Atlanta and the Cubs ended the Braves’ three-game winning streak.