Bucs Slash Mets to take 3 of 4

BUCS SLASH METS TAKING THREE OF FOUR

Game 1

PIT 7 NYM 0

Mike Dunne (1-2) pitched 5 shutout innings and Jeff Robinson and Bob Kipper 2 each as the Pirates beat the Mets easily in the opener. Bruce Berenyi (1-1) takes the loss as Ed Lynch falters in relief (2 IP, 4 R). Barry Bonds hits a HR (6) and drives in four to lead Pittsburgh.

Game 2

PIT 3 NYM 1

Doug Drabek (3-4) outpitched rookie sensation Dwight Gooden (2-4) as the Bucs take a 2-0 series lead. Drabek got a complete game victory, allowing only 3 hits, 1 unearned run and striking out 7. Gooden went 8 innings, allowed only 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 11. Andy Van Slyke hit a 2 run HR (6) that proved to be the difference in the game.

Game 3

PIT 6 NYM 2

The series moved to Three Rivers Stadium and the Pirates kept on winning. Bob Walk, battling injuries, pitched a solid 7 2/3 to get the win to go 5-2 on the season. Ron Darling was roughed up for 5 runs in 4 innings as his record drops to 4-2. Jim Gott got his 6^th save. Van Slyke continued his hot hitting, going 4-4 with a double and 3 RBIs. Catcher Mike Lavailliere continued to flirt with .400 as he went 2 for 2 with 2 walks.

Game 4

NYM 4  PIT 2  12 innings

The Mets salvage a game with an extra inning win. Darryl Strawberry tripled in the top of the 12^th, off Barry Jones, to break a 2-2 tie and then scored an insurance run on a George Foster sac fly. The Mets led 2-1 going to the bottom of the 9^th , as Walt Terrell and John Smiley locked up in a great pitcher’s duel. In the bottom of the 9^th, the Pirates tied it on a Barry Bonds singled and had the bases loaded and one out when reliever Jesse Orosco got pinch hitter Dave Hostetler to hit into a 1-2-3 DP to send the game to extra innings.

Pirates and Mets are now each 16-18 and on the outside looking in for a playoff spot with one week to go.

--submitted by Raylesbert--