European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 2, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes saturday july 2,1988 Johnson Sparks mets to Victory Over Houston by the associated press new York. It started As a j9ke, but the results have been serious since Howard Johnson took his Bat to bed with him monday night. The new York mets have won three games in a Row following monday s loss to Pittsburgh that trimmed their Lead in the National league East to 3 a games. Johnson and Darryl Strawberry led a 16-hit attack that produced a 12-6 Victory Over the Houston astros on thursday night. Johnson drove in four runs with a sacrifice Fly and a three run double heals had two singles while Strawberry tied san Francisco s will Clark for then Lead with his 19th Homer a two run shot and added a single and triple. Davey mets manager Johnson held team meeting after monday s loss How Ard Johnson explained he tried to shakes up and on the Way out of the clubhouse Kevin Elster said Why Don t we take our bats Back to the hotel with us the two of us did and both of us took them to bed with us. It was just a Way of getting us to loosen  on wednesday night Johnson hit a game tying Home run with two out in the ninth and new York won 8-7 in 11. Kevin Mcreynolds was moved into Theno. 3 spot ahead of Strawberry earlier in the week with Johnson batting fifth. Mcreynolds hit a Solo Homer As the mets backed Bob Ojeda 6-6, and Terry Leach with a Strong attack. Ojeda who had lost four of his previous five Deci Sions yielded five hits and four runs two of them unearned in 7% innings. Leach pitched the final 1 a for his second save allowing two runs in the ninth. Ojeda also had a two run single off re Liever Rocky Childress in a three run fifth inning that gave the mets a 7-2 Lead. My Reynolds hit ninth Homer in the sixth. Loser Danny Darwin 3-6, who dropped his third straight decision was tagged for seven runs six earned and 11 hits in 4% innings. Strawberry opened the second inning with a single took third on Johnson s single and scored on Gary Carter s Sacri fice Fly. Lenny Dykstra singled to Start the third and stole second and third before Strawberry hit an opposite Field Homer into the left Field bullpen with two  York made it 4-0 in the fourth on Wally Backman s suicide squeeze bunt. No Roundup the astros did t get a hit until the fifth when they scored two unearned runs on a sacrifice Fly by Darwin and a double by Billy Hatcher. Strawberry opened the fifth with a triple and scored on Johnson s sacrifice Fly. Wit two out Dave Magadan singled Kevin Elster doubled to left and Ojeda greeted Childress with his two run single. Houston chased Ojeda in the eight when Hatcher singled Rafael Ramirez doubled and they both scored on Kevin Bass single. The mets who opened a six game Lead Over Idle second place Pittsburgh in the National league East wrapped it up wit four runs in the eighth. Mcreynolds Dou bled Home the first run and Johnson bases loaded double accounted for the last three. In other no action thursday expos 6, braves 0 Montreal Brian Holman Mak ing Only his second major league appear Ance pitched a five hit shutout for his first Victory As Montreal Defeated Atlanta handing the braves their fifth straight defeat. Holman 1-1, a 23-year-old right hander who was called up last week to replace suspended Pitcher Floyd you mans struck out five and walked two. Loser Tom Glavine yielded four runs and nine hits in 6% innings. Montreal got its first run in the four thinning when Andres Galarraga led off with a double took third on Hubi Brooks grounder and after Tim Wallach walked scored on a sacrifice Fly by Nel son Santovenia. Luis Rivera s fourth Home run ignited a five run seventh that included a two run single by Galarraga and rib doubles by Brooks and Wallach. Montreal got its first run off Tom Gla Vine in the fourth inning when Andres Galarraga led off with a double too third on Hubie Brooks grounder and after Tim Wallach walked scored on a sacrifice Fly by Nelson Santovenia. The expos added five runs in the seventh. Luis Rivera hit his fourth Home run of the season with one out. With two out Otis Nixon singled and Rex Hudler walked. After Charlie Puleo relieved the run a photo expos Nelson Santovenia and Tim Wallach collide chasing foul which hit braves dugout ners pulled a double steal and Bot scored when Galarraga beat out a High chopper to first. Brooks doubled Galar Raga Home and scored on Wallach s Dou ble. Reds 4, padres 3 Cincinnati Pinch hitter Tracy Jones Drew a two out bases loaded walk from Mark Davis to Force in the winning run in the 10th inning. Davis gave up a two out single to Barry Larkin the walked Kal Daniels on four pitches Chris Sabo on a full count and Jones batting for Paul o Neill on four pitches. The reds took a 3-0 Lead in the first inning when Daniels hit his eighth Home run and Eric Davis hit a two run Homer his 13th, off Jimmy Jones. Jones then retired 18 consecutive  Wynne opened the san Diego fourth with his ninth Homer and the padres tied the score with two runs in the fifth off Jose Rijo on Benito Santiago single Tim Flannery s ground Rule Dou ble and Garry Templeton s double. Clark hits 16th Homer in Yankee Victory Chicago a Jack Clark thinks he might begetting his stroke Back which should be a warning to american league  Haven t Felt real Good hitting until the last couple of Days said Clark whose two run Homer in the seventh inning provided the new York Yankees with a 5 3 Victory Over the Chicago White sox in thursday s Only american league  also helped 45-year-old Tommy John 6-2, pick up the 283rd Victory of his career with seventh inning help from Dave  Don t know How i be had the numbers said Clark whose Homer was his 16th and gave him 47 run batted in for the season despite a .249 batting average. It s been a struggle added Clark who signed wit the Yankees As a free agent after leading the St. Louis cardinals to the National league Pennant last year. Idon t like to make excuses but i m in a new league and i m facing pitchers i Haven t seen  of which bothers manager Lou Piniella. Jack Clark is a professional who brings leadership to this club and he comes from a winning Environ ment Piniella said. And he can  Friday s baseball Toronto a Mark Mcgwire snapped out Ofa 15-for-88 slump with a two run single in the seventh inning that broke up a scoreless tie As the Oakland athletics Defeated the Toronto Blue jays 2-1 i an afternoon Canada Day game Friday. Clark Drew two walks one of which started a three run rally in the sixth inning when the Yankees erased a 1-0 deficit. Jack Clark has been known to hit a few White sox manager Jim Fregosi said. He makes any Ball Park  the White sox had John on the ropes in the first inning with runners on second and third and none out but the Veteran left hander struck out Harold Baines retired Greg Walker on a soft liner to third and fanned Dave  was t too Happy about that Fregosi said but i be been crying about that All  Davis relieved loser Dave Lapoint 6-8, to Start the seventh with the Yankees ahead 3-2. Dave win Field led off with a single and Clark followed with his 16th Homer for a 5-2  Santana Joel Skinner and Willie Randolph had rib singles with two out in the sixth inning As the Yankees erased a 1-0  opened the sixth with a walk. Lapoint retired the next two batters before Santana doubled to score Lark with the tying run. Skinner blooded a single to Center As Santana scored and after Bobby Meacha doubled Randolph s single to deep Short scored skin  White sox took a 1-0 Lead in the second inning when Kenny Williams who came off the disabled list prior to the game doubled and scored on a single by Ozzie  did not allow another run until the sixth. Steve Lyons singled went to third on a single by Walker an scored when Gallagher grounded into a Force play