The bullpen did it again.
Reliever Paul Assenmacher, called in to a tie game, gave up three runs on three hits and got just two batters out Tuesday night as the New York Mets rallied for an 8-7 win over the listless Cubs.
The loss dropped the Cubs to 75-76, one game below their goal of a .500 season and left them 1 1/2 games in back of St. Louis in the chase for third in the National League East.
Lee Guetterman (3-4) pitched one inning and got credit for the win, while Anthony Young earned his 15th save despite a scary ninth inning where he gave up a two-run homer to Gary Scott that nearly brought the Cubs back.
Mike Morgan started for the Cubs and was looking for his career-high 16th win, but made two mistakes to two rookies that cost him and the Cubs.
Rookie Jeff McKnight hit a two-run homer off Morgan in the second inning to tie the game at 2 after Fernando Ramsey and Morgan drove in runs in the top half of the inning.
Then, in the fourth inning, rookie Ryan Thompson had his first major-league home run-a 405-foot shot with two runners on to put the Mets up 5-2.
”No excuses,” said Morgan, who lost for just the second time since Aug. 13. ”Earlier this year, I got away with some bad pitches. Now they`re catching up with me.”
Those two home runs should have made a winner of Mets starter Pete Schourek, but the Cubs came back with three runs in the sixth on singles by Mark Grace, Derrick May, Luis Salazar, Rick Wilkins and Steve Buechele. May is batting .409 (23-56) against New York this season, with 11 RBIs. He is .389
(28-72) lifetime against the Mets.
More Top Picks Best Heat Guns For Diy Projects
From there, things settled down, with Jeff Robinson shutting down the Mets for two innings before Assenmacher opened the gates.
Unfortunately for Assenmacher (4-4), that was an all-too-typical performance of late. He has given up runs in each of his last five appearances and has lost his last two decisions.
The three runs he gave up Tuesday night came when the Mets batted around in the eighth.
Assenmacher started the trouble by walking Eddie Murray. Vince Coleman, celebrating his 31st birthday, pinch-ran for Murray in the eighth inning and was booed loudly.
Assenmacher then got a bad break on a close call at first base on a bunt single by McKnight. That was followed by a wild pitch, an intentional walk and a strikeout of Thompson with the bases loaded.
”I was too over anxious,” Thompson said. ”I went up to the plate with a smirk on my face, thinking I`d knock the cover off the ball and get at least two more RBIs.”
”There`s a fine line between being aggressive and being over aggressive,” Thompson said. ”I`m learning, and when I`m finished, I see myself as the future RBI-man.”
So far, New York manager Jeff Torborg likes what he sees of his young outfielder.
”He`s ready defensively and as a baserunner,” Torborg said. ”He still needs some work at the plate, but he`ll do damage when he`s ready.”
Thompson`s strikeout was soon forgotten after back-to-back run-scoring singles by Dick Schofield and Chico Walker.
The single by Walker drove in what turned out to be a much-needed insurance run when Scott homered after Doug Strange singled in the top of the ninth.
That was Scott`s first home run since he hit a grand slam against the Phillies on April 20, just days before he was sent back to the minor leagues. ”I don`t know what my future is with this club,” said Scott, ”but I`m trying to make the most out of every opportunity.”