National League Roundup : Schmidt Ends His Homer Slump--and Gooden

After 111 at-bats without a home run, Mike Schmidt reached a milestone Friday night when he hit his 536th career homer to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets and Dwight Gooden at Shea Stadium.

Schmidt ended the longest homerless streak of his 16-year career with a one-out, bases-empty shot in the fourth inning to tie him with Mickey Mantle for seventh place on the all-time home run list. It was also Schmidt’s 1,537th career run battted in, tying him for 24th place on the all-time list with Joe DiMaggio.

Kevin Gross (8-2), won his fourth straight game, allowing just 7 hits in 8 innings while striking out 6.

Gross lost his shutout in the ninth when Mackey Sasser knocked in Howard Johnson with a two-out pinch single. Steve Bedrosian got the last out for his 10th save.

Gooden (9-3) allowed 5 hits and struck out 8 in 7 innings.

The Phillies are 5-2 against the Mets this season.

Atlanta 4-6, Houston 3-5--Dale Murphy seems to be snapping out of his season-long slump. He led the Braves to a sweep of the Astros at Atlanta. Murphy hit his 10th home run of the season with two out in the eighth to win the opener, and his run-scoring single with one out capped a five-run ninth inning to give the Braves the second game.

In the opener, with the score tied 3-3, Murphy hit a 1-0 pitch over the right-field fence off Larry Andersen (1-3). The Braves had tied the score in the seventh on Ron Gant’s second run-scoring triple of the game.

Paul Assenmacher (2-3) pitched the eighth for the Braves to get the win and Bruce Sutter pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

In the second game, the Astros took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth before the Braves rallied with seven singles highlighted by Murphy’s one out winner.

Chicago 7, Montreal 3--The Cubs had 12 hits, all singles, and Rick Sutcliffe won his second game since coming off the 15-day disabled list to lead the Cubs past the Expos at Chicago.

Sutcliffe (5-4), making his second start since being activated May 21, held the Expos to 3 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings. Les Lancaster pitched three innings to pick up his second save.

The Cubs took a 3-0 lead in the third on back-to-back RBI singles by Shawon Dunston and Rafael Palmeiro, and a run-scoring, double-play ground ball by Andre Dawson.

Tim Raines led off the top half of the fifth with his seventh home run of the season to pull the Expos to 3-1, but Montreal starter Bryn Smith (4-5) was chased in the bottom half when former Expo, Vance Law, singled home Dawson and Ryne Sandberg.

Cincinnati 6, San Francisco 0--Danny Jackson pitched a five-hitter, and Kal Daniels and Lloyd McClendon each drove in two runs to lead the Reds past the Giants at Cincinnati.

Jackson (7-3), walked 2 and struck out 8 for his third shutout and fifth complete game of the season. Atlee Hammaker (3-1) got the loss.

McClendon replaced Eric Davis in center field in the second inning after Davis left the game because of a bruised left elbow. Davis was hit by a pitch in the first inning and was taken the hospital, where X-rays proved negative. His status is day-to-day.

Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin also was forced to leave the game in the fifth inning when he aggravated a bruised finger.

St. Louis 7, Pittsburgh 3--Not even being called for three balks in eight innings could cost Joe Magrane of the Cardinals his first victory of the season.

Magrane (1-1) allowed 5 hits in his second start since coming off the disabled list, and Willie McGee hit his first home run of the season to lead the Cardinals at Pittsburgh, ending a six-game losing streak.

Tony Pena added a two-run single in the third, and Ozzie Smith scored three runs as the Cardinals ended their longest losing streak of the season. Mike Dunne (4-5) took the loss.