Only a Choo Choo Coleman can appreciate the new heights reached yesterday by the New York Mets, who swept a doubleheader from the Pittsburgh Pirates to reduce their magic number to four.

The two victories at Shea Stadium by scores of 5-3 and 6-1 enabled the Mets to increase their lead over the Cubs to 41/2 games. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Cubs eliminated St. Louis from the pennant race by downing the Cardinals, 4-3. The Pirates were also eliminated after yesterday's games.

What Bums

In the Western Division race, the Dodgers dropped 31/2 games behind the Giants as Maury Wills made an error with the bases loaded and two outs in the tenth inning to give the Giants a 4-3 victory over Los Angeles, Atlanta crushed San Diego, 8-2, to remain half a game out of first.

Anyone still rooting for a Boston team probably regretted it after yesterday's accomplishments by the Red Sox and Patriots. The Sox are 241/2 games behind the league-leading Orioles after a 9-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

The Patriots were equally unimpressive in losing, 31-0, to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Patriots' home opener at Boston College. In its two games this season. Boston has been outscored, 66-7.

In Dallas, former Yale star Calvin Hill threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Lance Rentzel to help the Cowboys to a 24-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.