Ex-pitcher Gooden charged with drug possession

HOLMDEL, N.J. >> Former New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden has been charged with drug possession.

A criminal complaint says that on June 7 two plastic baggies allegedly containing cocaine were found in 54-year-old Gooden’s car during a traffic stop in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Gooden has been charged with cocaine possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and being under the influence of drugs.

His attorney asked that the public reserve judgment on the case.

Gooden won the National League Cy Young Award while with the Mets in 1985 and was a member of the Mets’ 1986 World Series champions. He also played for the Yankees.

He was suspended from baseball for part of the 1994 season and all of the 1995 season after testing positive for cocaine.

Cardinals Wainwright scratched

ST. LOUIS >> St. Louis right-hander Adam Wainwright was scratched his scheduled start against Arizona due to back spasms.

Daniel Ponce de Leon replaced the 37-year-old right-hander on Friday night.

A three-time All-Star, Wainwright is 5-7 with a 4.31 ERA in 16 starts this season. The Cardinals did not put him on the injured list, and manager Mike Shildt said he could make his next start as early as Sunday.

Wainwright has a $2 million base salary and has earned a $500,000 bonus for making five starts and $1 million apiece for making 10 and 15 starts. He would earn $1.5 million for 20 and $2 million apiece for 25 and 30. CUBS 4, PIRATES 3 >> Jason Heyward hit a tiebreaking RBI single with two out in the eighth inning, and Chicago edged Pittsburgh in their first game after the All-Star break.

Kris Bryant set up Heyward’s winning hit with a one-out walk off Jason Crick (35). The All-Star slugger advanced on Victor Caratini’s two-out walk and then hustled home from second on Heyward’s crisp opposite-field hit to left, sliding home just ahead of the tag attempt by catcher Elias Diaz.

Randy Rosario (1-0) the fourth of five Cubs relievers, got the last out of the eighth for the win. Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in four chances.