Daily News from New York, New York • 36

36 DAILY SPORTS NEWS Saturday, May 2, 1992 JLtf It 1 By BILL MADDEN Gagne slides in safely as Yanks' Randy Velarde can't handle throw, ap Ddily News Sports Writer ATLANTA Impossible as it might have seemed, the Mets made a seven-run lead disappear faster than Vince Coleman last night. Improbable as it surely was, Coleman's replacement, Daryl Boston, made all of that unforeseen adversity disappear with an eighth-inning homer to lift the Mets to an 8-7 win over the Braves. try SECOND THOUGHTS: Twins' Greg By PAUL NEEDELL Daily News Sports Writer For seven innings, it looked like Melido Perez once again would be left in the lurch the Yankees. But with a little luck and a lot of help from the Twins, the Yanks pushed across three runs in the eighth to notch a 5-3 victory for Perez last night at the Stadium. "The fact that Melido got the win was the best thing that happened," said Don Mattingly, whose pop-fly double down the line in right fell between three Twins to score Andy Stankiewicz with the go-ahead run.

"It's really good to see him get a win." In his previous three starts, Perez (2-2) had allowed only six runs and had two losses and one no-decision to show for it. Trailing 3-2 going into the bottom of the eighth last night, it appeared Perez might be stung again by a lack of support. Manager Buck Showalter wondered if the Yanks "get a little self-conscious" when Perez pitches "because they have great confidence in him." He added: "The guys are trying as hard as they can. Maybe a little too hard." Funky Stat Dep't: Matt giving him four HRs, four year. Although there "Trj 9 YANKEES 5 TWINS 3 'I know we're going to score some runs, because I know we can hit," Perez said.

"It doesn't bother me. I just try to throw quality starts." Much like this latest five-hit, seven-strikeout effort. Perez called it a night after eight innings and 118 pitches, stepping aside for Steve Farr's fifth save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Perez was overdue for some breaks, and the law of averages finally came his way in the eighth. Randy Velarde led off with a single to center and came all the way around on a hit-and-run double as Stankiewicz' liner to left went off the glove of a diving Shane Mack.

That sent loser Kevin Tapani (1-3) to the showers. On came Mark Guthrie, and the southpaw got Mattingly, back in the lineup after a one-game absence due to pinky tendinitis, to send a high pop HOWE PLEA BARGAIN See Page 46 Nokes homered last night, RBI and four runs scored all were no problems related Amid an ominous backdrop of tear-gas clouds, fires and rioting at nearby Atlanta University, the Mets had sufficient reason to think this might not be a normal, routine night of baseball as usual. And from the outset it wasn't. The night began with Coleman making his heralded return from three weeks on the disabled list with a strained hamstring. But in his first at- i i METS 8 BRAVES 7 bat, leading off the game, Coleman strained a rib cage muscle and likely will be out for another long stretch.

"It's frustrating because he's such an important part of our offense and we had been waiting and anticipating his return to the lineup," said Mets manager Jeff Tor-borg. "He told me he first felt something taking BP in Philadelphia last week, and after he swung on that first at-bat he couldn't even bend over to touch his knees." Coleman's quick exit did not affect Torborg's revised batting order, though. In his absence, the Mets batted around for five runs in the fourth inning on Steve Avery, last year's Atlanta Golden Boy, and in doing so snapped a string of 36 scoreless innings by Braves' pitchers. When Charlie O'Brien added an unlikely two-run opposite-field homer in the fifth to make it 7-0, the latest muscle strain by their $12-million Icadoff man was probably the last thing on the Mets' minds. Even when Met starter Anthony Young began showing signs of tiring in the sixth by giving up a solo homer to Terry Pendleton, the Mets needn't have had cause for worry.

This lead couldn't be blown Or could it? To make room for Vince Coleman on the roster, Terrel Hansen was sent back to Tidewater after a stay of barely 48 hours in the majors. Davey Johnson is coming back not to manage the Mets but at least to be part of the official Mets family again in the June 13 Oldtimers Day festivities. After snubbing Johnson last year in their celebration of the '86 world championship team, the Mets have invited their former manager back this time. "At least that's what I've heard through the grapevine," Johnson said. "I'm looking forward to it.

I've circled the date on my calendar." Dave Magadan extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Madden Apparently, with the Mets' middle relief corps as it is, no lead is safe until John Franco. Following a single, a throwing error by Young on Mark Lemke's nubber to the left of the mound and an RBI double by pinch hitter Jeff Blauser, Paul Gibson relieved and gave up another RBI double to Brian Hunter and a walk to Deion Sanders. Enter Jeff Innis, who gave Torborg Co. a brief cause for relief by getting Pendleton to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.

But then Ron Gant doubled off the top of the wall in left for another run and Dave Justice homered high into the right-field stands to tie it. -it "i I 1 it- Exasperated, Torborg turned to Burke, had- not appeared in a game -since April 15 and, to the surprise of even himself Burke lt was able to get the game-to Franco. The fact that ftleSido got the win was the best thing that Don Mattingly down the line in right. First baseman Kent Hrbek, second baseman Donnie Hill and right fielder Pedro Mu- noz converged only to see the ball land in fair territory. Stankiewicz had gone back to second to tag up, but was able to score the winning run when Hrbek's throw to second bounced past shortstop Greg Gagne.

Mattingly was credited with a double and an RBI, although the run appeared to score on the throw. Anyway, Mattingly also took third on the errant throw and eventually scored an insurance run on Mel Hall's sacrifice fly. Not the prettiest rally of the year, but the Yanks will take it So will Stankiewicz. The 27-year-old rookie had two more hits last night, boosting his average to .326 after a six-year stint in the minors. "I mean, it's a lot of fun," Stankiewicz said.

"Baseball, sports, are meant to be fun, and right now, things are going my way. But winning's the most funThat's a oJ of fun." cznEEESizzn i TWINC at VANKFFQ Krueger (4-0) vs. Sanderson (2-1) MSG, WABC-77D; p.m. to the Rodney King verdict, Yanks beefed up security last night "to alleviate any doubt in the fans' minds," a team spokesman paid. Charlie Hayes, started pice 5-4-3 double play in sixth and is nQwerrqrlqss to Yanks' first 22 Last, the, jbngest errorless streak, by (the team's eight base- men was 11.

Defending champ Twins are 9-13; this was', sixth, time in seven years, they finished April under .500. NeedeU.