National League Roundup : Another Herr Homer Carries Cardinals to 6-3 Win and Four-Game Lead

Tommy Herr, usually calm and quiet, is beginning to get excited about the St. Louis Cardinals’ pennant chances.

Never known as a power hitter, the switch-hitting second baseman hit a three-run home run in the first inning Wednesday night at St. Louis to wipe out a 2-0 deficit and send the Cardinals on their way to a 6-3 victory over Philadelphia.

It was the second time in four games that a Herr home run was decisive, it gave the Cardinals their sixth victory in a row, and it increased their lead over New York in the East to four games. The Cardinals, who have won 13 of their last 14 games, have 10 games remaining.

Danny Cox settled down after two errors allowed the Phillies to score twice in the top of the first, and improved his record to 17-9. He gave up nine hits but only one earned run in seven innings. Dependable Jeff Lahti pitched two scoreless innings for his 18th save.

Rookie Vince Coleman scored three runs and stole three bases to run his major league-leading stolen-base total to 105. That is the second highest ever by a National Leaguer. The league record is 118 by Cardinal Lou Brock in 1974.

Coleman opened the home half of the first with an infield hit and stole second. He took third on Willie McGee’s infield hit. Herr, who made one of the errors to give the Phillies the early lead, rapped his seventh home run of the season to put the Cardinals ahead to stay. Until this season, Herr’s career home run total was six, in more than 2,000 at-bats.

Sunday’s home run was more dramatic. There were two out, McGee on base and the Cardinals trailing, 5-4, in the ninth when Herr hammered the game-winning home run.

“I seem to be surprising everyone,” Herr, who has driven in 105 runs, told the Associated Press. “These home runs have surprised me. I just guess I’m getting caught up in all the excitement.

The Cardinals are 80-0 in games in which they have led going into the ninth. Lahti, key man in the bullpen all season, has now pitched 14 scoreless innings in his last seven appearances.

Chicago 5, New York 4--The Mets went to Chicago expecting to fatten up. After all, they had beaten the Cubs eight times in a row.

And when Gary Carter hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to give Ron Darling, a 16-game winner, a 4-1 lead, it appeared the Mets would make it nine.

However, the Cubs picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth, chased Darling in the seventh while scoring twice to tie it, and won in the ninth.

Jesse Orosco struck out the first two Cubs in the ninth but walked Davey Lopes. Orosco had Lopes picked off first, but the former Dodger beat first baseman Keith Hernandez’s throw to second.

After Lopes stole third, pinch-hitter Chris Speier singled him home with the winning run and dropped the Mets four games behind the Cardinals.

The Mets still have three games at St. Louis early next week, but unless someone besides Carter starts hitting, a sweep in St. Louis might not be enough.

The Mets have scored 15 runs in the last three games, and Carter has knocked in eight of them. Darryl Strawberry is in a deep slump. He has gone hitless in his last 18 at-bats.

Atlanta 4, Cincinnati 2--The Reds literally threw away a chance to move within five games of the Dodgers in the West.

Rookie third baseman Wade Rowdon, that is, threw the game away in the 11th inning at Cincinnati.

The Reds tied the score in the seventh when Ron Oester’s two-out pop fly went for a run-scoring hit after rookie shortstop Paul Zuvella failed to go out in short left field and catch it.

In the 11th, Claudell Washington grounded to third, and Rowdon, a late-inning replacement for Wayne Krenchicki, threw the ball into the dugout. Glenn Hubbard bunted toward third, Rowdon picked it up and threw the ball into right field to allow one run to score and Hubbard to reach second. Ken Oberkfell singled in the final run.

Pittsburgh 8, Montreal 2--Rick Reuschel, a cinch for Comeback of the Year honors, pitched a five-hitter at Pittsburgh for his fourth win in a row to raise his record to 14-7.

It was the eighth time in his last nine starts that Reuschel, who was 5-5 last season with the Chicago Cubs, has pitched a complete game.

Reuschel was brought up from the minors this spring and pitched his first game May 21.

Counting his six wins in the minors, he is now a 20-game winner.

San Diego 7, San Francisco 4--LaMarr Hoyt pitched a solid seven innings at San Diego to pick up his 16th victory, and Steve Garvey and Graig Nettles each drove in two runs.