Maddux beats Mets for the 30th time
May 30, 2003 - Greg Maddux offered a fine scouting report on the pitcher he faced Friday night.Of course, Maddux had seen this guy before. It was his old teammate, Tom Glavine.
Greg MadduxThe much-anticipated meeting between the Cy Young Award winners fizzled from the start. After a 32-minute rain delay, Glavine was tagged for a solo homer by Sheffield in the first and Maddux allowed five hits in the bottom half of the inning.
Glavine (5-5) lost to his old team for the second time in a week, leaving after allowing five runs and nine hits in seven innings. He stayed stuck at 247 wins.
Maddux and Glavine, both 37, pitched together on the Braves from 1993 until last season. They began this game with 523 combined victories, the most for a pair of opposing starters since Aug. 16, 1992, when Nolan Ryan (319) faced Frank Tanana (230), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
John Smoltz, who teamed with Maddux and Glavine to give Atlanta an awesome rotation for so many years, struck out all four batters he faced for his 20th save in 21 chances.
While the crowd of 26,439 saw the Mets lose on the day that pitcher David Cone retired at 40 because of a bad hip, fans at Shea Stadium had a big reason to cheer.
Reliever John Franco pitched for the first time since Sept. 29, 2001, having been sidelined after having ligament-replacement surgery on his left elbow.
The 42-year-old Mets’ team captain got a standing ovation when he jogged in from the bullpen in the eighth inning for his 999th major league appearance. The scoreboard flashed “Welcome Back John Franco” and he responded, working around two singles to throw a scoreless inning. John Franco became the second-oldest pitcher in Mets’history. Warren Spahn was 44 in 1965.
By then, the Braves’ bats had done enough damage. Atlanta has hit 55 home runs in May, matching the NL record for most in any month set by the New York Giants in July 1947 and tied by the St. Louis Cardinals in April 2000. Baltimore set the overall record of 58 in May 1987.
Glavine gave up two homers in 3 1-3 innings while losing at Atlanta last Saturday, and the Braves got going again early on Sheffield’s 14th shot.
The last time a pair of NL pitchers started against each other with more wins than Maddux and Glavine was on May 3, 1985, when Steve Carlton (313) faced Ryan (233). Maddux beat the Mets for the 30th time, his highest win total against an opponent.
Phillies pile it on
May 28, 2003 - Ricky Ledee and Bobby Abreu hit three-run homers and Vicente Padilla pitched seven solid innings, leading the Phillies over the New York Mets 11-3 Wednesday night.
Jim Thome, Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco each had solo homers for the Phillies, who stopped a three-game losing streak.
The Phillies had scored just 18 runs in their previous six games, five losses. They are averaging 4.8 runs per game, but only 3.7 runs excluding the double-digit games.
Padilla (4-6) allowed one run and three hits in his first victory since shutting out the Atlanta Braves on April 19. Despite a career-high six walks, he improved to 5-1 against the Mets.
Mets starter Pedro Astacio (3-2) gave up seven runs and eight hits in four innings.
Ledee gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the second inning with his fifth homer. Abreu walked to start the inning and Mike Lieberthal was hit by a pitch. Ledee then hit a 2-1 pitch deep into the right-field seats for his fourth homer in 13 at-bats against Astacio.
Rollins’ solo shot with two outs in the fourth made it 5-1. Thome led off the fifth with his 11th homer to put the Phillies ahead 6-1. Polanco homered off David Cone in the sixth for an 8-1 lead. Abreu hit his shot off Pat Strange in the eighth.
The Mets are 12-11 without Mike Piazza, 11-18 with him. Piazza, an All-Star catcher, is out with a groin injury.
Glavine knocked around by Braves
May 24, 2003 - Nothing seemed right about Tom Glavine’s return to Turner Field—not his uniform, not the smattering of boos from the crowd, and certainly not his performance.
Glavine, a stalwart of the Atlanta Braves’ rotation for 16 seasons, got knocked around in his first start against his old team Saturday, leaving after only 3 1-3 innings as the Braves beat the New York Mets 10-4.
Andruw Jones and Javy Lopez both homered off Glavine, and Gary Sheffield and Robert Fick added home runs off reliever Jaime Cerda.
Glavine (5-4) gave up six runs and eight hits, his worst start since the Cubs pounded him for five runs on eight hits on opening day. In his previous start, he held the San Francisco Giants to one run in 8 1-3 innings.
The crowd of 40,912 was the largest of the season at Turner Field, and reactions to Glavine were strong. When he walked to the bullpen before the game, he received a loud chorus of boos. But when he took the mound in the first inning, the boos eventually were drowned out by a brief standing ovation.
Mets put Bell on shelf; Mo switched to 60-day DL
The Mets placed infielder Jay Bell on the 15-day disabled list Thursday and transferred first baseman Mo Vaughn from the 15-day to 60-day DL.
Bell strained his right groin during Wednesday night's 5-4 victory over Philadelphia and is the ninth Mets player to go on the DL this season. He is hitting .214 with three RBI.
The Mets also bought the contract of Pedro Feliciano from Triple-A Norfolk, where the left-hander was 3-2 with a 3.97 ERA.
Vaughn was in Los Angeles on Wednesday to see Dr. Lewis Yokum about his arthritic left knee, according to The New York Post. It was the sixth opinion Vaughn has sought on his knee. Mets GM Steve Phillips did not speak with Vaughn, but told The Post that the organization had been in contact with him. Phillips said he doesn't know what Vaughn's intentions are.
Reliever John Franco pitched 1 1/3 innings for the St. Lucie Mets and is scheduled to throw in games on consecutive days for the first time since elbow surgery.
Franco threw 15 pitches in the Class-A game against Sarasota, striking out two and allowing one homer. Nine pitches were for strikes and other than the homer, the only balls put in play were groundouts.
"Everything was good, but one pitch up in the zone," Franco said.May 22, 2003
Met killer Burrell strikes again
May 20, 2003 - Pat Burrell came to the perfect place to find his stroke.
Burrell feasted on New York Mets pitching once again, hitting a solo homer in the sixth and a tying shot in a seven-run seventh as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied from four runs down to win 11-7 Tuesday night.
Burrell has 10 career home runs at Shea Stadium and 19 in 176 career at-bats against the Mets. Those are his best numbers against any opponent.Burrell broke out of a 1-for-17 slump with the homers in his final two at-bats, giving him 10 at Shea Stadium and 19 in 176 career at-bats against the Mets. Those are his best numbers against any opponent.
“I don’t know what it is,” Burrell said. “I just feel comfortable here. It’s a good background to see the ball.”
The Phillies trailed 4-0 before Burrell hit a sixth-inning homer against Jae Seo and a three-run drive in the seventh against David Weathers to help Philadelphia win for the fourth time in five games.
Weathers retired two of his first three hitters before walking Jim Thome with two outs.
Burrell then sent a drive into the left-field bullpen for his ninth homer, tying the game at 4. It was his fifth career multihomer game, including two at Shea.
Even All-Star catcher Mike Piazza couldn’t have helped the Mets win this game. The Mets announced before the game that Piazza will be out for at least six weeks and possibly the rest of the season because of a tear in his right groin muscle.
Piazza hurt in another loss
May 17, 2003 - Just about everything went wrong for the New York Mets.
Star catcher Mike Piazza was lost to a groin injury, and the Mets watched former teammate Edgardo Alfonzo hit a homer and drive in four runs to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 7-5 victory Friday night.
Piazza left in the first inning with a strained right groin after trying to avoid an inside pitch from Jason Schmidt. X-rays were inconclusive, but Piazza was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
Mike Piazza tries to avoid a close pitch by Giants pitcher Jason Schmidt in the first inning Friday, May 16, 2003 in San Francisco. Piazza left the game with a strained right groin after trying to avoid an inside pitch.Torrealba grounded a single up the middle off Armando Benitez through a drawn-in infield. Raul Gonzalez and Wilson homered for the Mets, who lost their fourth straight and fell to 0-12 in the regular season at Pacific Bell Park.
The Giants won their second straight after losing a season-high five in a row.
Joe Nathan (5-1) pitched a perfect eighth for the win. Tim Worrell got three outs for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.
David Weathers (1-3) allowed three of the four batters he faced to reach base.
Piazza, batting .522 (12-for-23) with four home runs and nine RBIs in his previous six games, jumped out of the way of a 2-2 pitch, then fell to the ground. He needed help walking off the field.
Two innings later, Mets outfielder Roger Cedeno came out of the game because of dizziness.
Piazza, who was examined by Giants doctor Ken Akuzuki, reported feeling a pop in his groin and a lot of pain initially. He dressed and left the ballpark with assistance.
Jason Phillips was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to replace Piazza.
Cliff Floyd singled to give the Mets a 1-0 lead in the first.
Alfonzo hit his fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot into the left-field bleachers, to put the Giants on top 2-1. He signed a $26 million, four-year contract with San Francisco during the offseason after spending eight years with the Mets.
Wilson, who replaced Piazza, hit his fourth homer, a solo shot with one out in the third, to tie it at 2.
The Mets already had seven players on the DL, including OF Jeromy Burnitz, 1B Mo Vaughn, SS Rey Sanchez and RHP David Cone. Burnitz took batting practice for the first time since his injury and could go on a rehabilitation assignment in the next few days. Cone threw five innings in his second rehab start with Class-A St. Lucie.
Jason Phillips was batting .360 with four home runs and 20 RBIs with the Tides.
Leiter lit up
May 16, 2003 - The San Francisco Giants broke their longest losing streak in four years by handing Al Leiter the worst start of his career.
Barry Bonds homered, and Marquis Grissom homered and drove in a season-high four runs as Giants beat the New York Mets 11-3 Thursday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.Leiter (4-2) allowed a career-high 10 runs and 13 hits in 4 2-3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.
The Giants ended their longest slide since an eight-game losing streak from May 12-20, 2000, thanks in part to a six-run fifth inning that was highlighted by Grissom’s three-run homer.
The home run, Grissom’s fourth of the season, chased Leiter. Neifi Perez added a two-run single and Benito Santiago later hit an RBI single in the inning.
Kirk Rueter (4-1) allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings, to earn his third straight win over the Mets after going winless in his first 12 starts against them. He struck out three and walked three.
Bonds’ solo homer, which cleared the center field fence to tie the game at 2 in the third, was his 11th of the season and No. 624 of his career, 36 shy of Willie Mays for third on the all-time list.
Bullpen surrenders lead
May 14, 2003 - Trailing by seven runs, the Colorado Rockies chased Tom Glavine, then roughed up the New York Mets’ bullpen to match the third-largest comeback in franchise history.
Preston Wilson had three RBIs, including a two-run homer, and the Rockies rallied for a 9-8 win Tuesday night.
Glavine threw six shutout innings before tiring in the seventh, and Mike Piazza hit two homers for the Mets.
Colorado scored four runs in the seventh, cutting it to 7-4, then added five in the eighth. Todd Helton dashed home with the deciding run on Jaime Cerda’s wild pitch.
Brent Butler triggered the eighth-inning rally with a two-run double off Jason Middlebrook. Pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney added an RBI single off David Weathers. After Helton’s single with two outs, Wilson hit a run-scoring single off Cerda (0-1).
Facing Larry Walker, Cerda uncorked a wild pitch that allowed a sliding Helton to score from third.
The ball caromed off the padding behind home plate and back to Piazza, but his hurried throw to Cerda was wide.
The Rockies got four runs in the seventh. Butler singled and went to third on Ronnie Belliard’s double. Pinch-hitter Gabe Kapler had an RBI single, chasing Glavine. Belliard scored on Helton’s groundout off Pat Strange, and Wilson followed with a two-run homer, his 11th.
Mets boo-birds silenced
May 11, 2003 - Roger Cedeno was too busy tearing around the bases to think about the fans who had been tearing into him.
Cedeno, the target of boobirds at Shea Stadium all season, tripled and scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning Sunday to lift the New York Mets over the San Diego Padres 3-2.
“I can’t control the fans. They’re going to boo us,” Cedeno said. “You kind of get used to it after a while.”
Fittingly, a mistake decided the matchup of last-place teams played in a heavy mist and light rain. The victory gave the Mets a 194-193 lead over the Padres in the all-time series that started when San Diego joined the NL in 1969.
The Mother’s Day crowd of 30,694 began jeering when center fielder Timo Perez made an error on the first pitch of the game. Cedeno and struggling reliever Armando Benitez also got booed, but the fans were cheering at the end.
“Get hits, score runs, win games—that’s how you change it,” Mets manager Art Howe said.
Cedeno had already struck out twice, dropping his batting average to .234, when he lined a drive into the right-center field alley for his first triple of the season. The hit chased reliever Mike Matthews (1-1), and Luther Hackman relieved with one out.
With Joe McEwing at the plate, Hackman’s 83 mph slider broke down and away, skipping to the backstop and allowing Cedeno to score without a play.
“I tried to make a good pitch there. I was looking for a groundball,” Hackman said. “It’s really depressing, because if I make a good pitch there, we’re still in the game.”
Said Padres manager Bruce Bochy: “That’s a tough way to lose a ballgame.”
Cedeno returned to the Mets before the 2002 season as a free agent, signing an $18 million, four-year contract. But he’s never been able to duplicate the talent that let him hit .313 and set a team record with 66 stolen bases in 1999, and he lost his everyday job in center field earlier this season.
Vaughn might need surgery on left knee
May 10, 2003 - Mo Vaughn returned from seeing a specialist in Georgia on Friday, but the trip made his return to the Mets' lineup more uncertain.
According to a report in The New York Times on Saturday, the Mets first baseman will see a third doctor this weekend and another on Monday to receive more opinions on his arthritic left knee.
Vaughn will see the two doctors before joining the Mets on Tuesday in Colorado. He already received a second opinion in Georgia.
Vaughn might need to have surgery, which would end his season.
Vaughn has no cartilage in part of left knee, causing bone to rub against bone and pain that is too intense to play through.
He said he would consider an operation to shave "10 or 12 bone spurs" in the knee and inject a substance into the knee to provide a cushion.
Mets general manager Steve Phillips said that type of procedure is "experimental" and wasn't sure if it would work on Vaughn.
"I'm not sure it's reversible," Phillips told The Associated Press this week. "I don't know what surgery resolves either. He has bone on bone. There's no cartilage on one side of the knee."
Orosco relives past glory
May 10, 2003 - Jesse Orosco looked up as the San Diego team bus pulled into the Shea Stadium parking lot Friday and saw the huge picture.
The photograph of Orosco leaping after striking out Boston’s Marty Barrett to win the 1986 World Series is familiar to Mets’ fans.
What’s unfamiliar is what occurred a few hours later. For the first time in his career, Orosco got a save at Shea Stadium against the Mets.
Orosco struck out Roberto Alomar with runners at the corners and two outs in the ninth inning, finishing San Diego’s 5-4 victory.
“In New York, they don’t forget things,” Orosco said. “You do well here, and they acknowledge that. I left New York on good terms.” ADVERTISEMENT
A lot better terms than the current bunch of Mets are on these days.
Orosco, a 46-year-old left-hander, came up to the Mets in 1979 and had 107 saves for New York, the last against Pittsburgh on Sept. 27, 1987. He’s pitched for Los Angeles, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Baltimore and San Diego since then, but never before had saved a game in Shea Stadium as a visitor, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
When he came in after two-out singles by Rey Sanchez and Jay Bell off Matt Herges, there were cheers from what remained of the crowd of 29,855.
“Maybe it was Alomar they were cheering,” Mets manager Art Howe said. “No, I know it was Jesse. I remember in ’86, he closed out the series in Houston and then the World Series here. He pitched very well here for a lot of years—actually he’s pitched very well a lot places for a lot of years. He’s a favorite here, no question.”
New York has 15 hits during a three-game losing streak and has lost nine of 12 overall.
Timo Perez was announced as a pinch hitter for Tsuyoshi Shinjo in the seventh, but then Roger Cedeno pinch hit and singled. Umpires, according to Bochy, ruled Perez was never officially in the game because Howe tried to call him back but Perez never heard in noisy Shea Stadium.
Cedeno was thrown out by Nady in the seventh after taking too wide a turn on Sanchez’s single to right.
Seo, winless in four starts since April 17, gave up three runs and six hits in five innings.The Mets optioned C Jason Phillips toTriple-A Norfolk after the game and intend to bring up a pitcher Saturday.
Kazuhisa quiets Mets
May 8, 2003 - Kazuhisa Ishii looked like a completely different pitcher Thursday night.
Ishii allowed one run in six innings and Cesar Izturis drove in three runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-1 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday night.
Ishii tied a career high by walking six batters in his previous start against Pittsburgh but had more control against the Mets—walking just three.
The Dodgers have won nine of 13 after taking two of three against New York in a matchup of the two worst offenses in the National League.
Los Angeles scored 10 runs in the series but that was more than enough against a Mets’ team that played the three games without All-Star catcher Mike Piazza in the starting lineup.
Piazza received seven stitches in his abdomen earlier this week after having a mole removed and had just two pinch-hitting opportunities in the series. Before the game, the Mets talked to Piazza about beginning the process of learning to play first base.
Izturis hit a go-ahead groundout in the seventh against Tom Glavine (4-3) and a two-run single in the eighth. Fred McGriff had a pair of RBIs with a single in the first and double in the eighth.
New York, which has lost eight of 11, scored only five runs in the three games.
Mets RHP David Cone (hip injury) will make a rehab start for Class-A St. Lucie on Sunday against the Tampa Yankees.
New York 1B Mo Vaughn will get a second opinion on his injured left knee in thenext couple of days in Georgia.
Sanchez Denies He Had Clubhouse Haircut
May 7, 2003 - The New York Mets had a hairy situation Tuesday, holding a team meeting to deal with whether Rey Sanchez had his locks trimmed in the clubhouse during a game.
Sanchez denied the haircut, which was reported Monday by ESPN radio. But Mets officials and players, using so many similar phrases that they sounded like a barbershop quartet, repeatedly said the situation had been dealt with. No one else in the clubhouse would back Sanchez's denial.
Armando is "The Barber of Shea-Ville."ESPN radio reported that reliever Mike Stanton walked into the clubhouse and was surprised to find Sanchez getting shorn. Stanton wouldn't discuss what he did or did not see.
"This is now behind us," Stanton said. "Right, wrong or indifferent, we're moving on from here."
General manager Steve Phillips said he left any decision about discipline up to manager Art Howe, who wouldn't say whether Sanchez was penalized.
"It's taken care of," Howe said, repeatedly trying to end questions on the topic.
Asked why he called the meeting, Howe responded that he "just wanted to clear the air on this little situation that came up on the off day." He was sure the message he wanted to get through was heard by the players.
"Yes, I'm pretty good at it," he said.
Players thought too much was being made of the matter.
"Rey knows the rights and wrongs," Mo Vaughn said. "But we're not going to make a big issue of that as a team. We've got too many other things to worry about."
New York began the day 13-18, last in the NL East. Players said they need to focus on winning, not off-the-field distractions.
"If we're in first place, nobody cares," Vaughn said. "You could be getting a full body shave."
Sanchez was brought to the Mets to replace Rey Ordońez - who was considered a negative clubhouse presence. The Mets were also stunned last season when a photograph of reliever Grant Roberts using a bong was published. There have been problems this year, too: On the Mets' last road trip, Armando Benitez was said to have had a fit over not having an empty locker next to his in St. Louis, forcing Tom Glavine to move.
I don't get embarrassed about anything anymore," he said.
During the Mets' trip to Puerto Rico, Sanchez publicly blamed pitcher Jae Seo for a poor throw to second base when Sanchez was late covering the bag, and two days later, he refused to talk to reporters after making a crucial error in a game. Owner Fred Wilpon has frequently stressed that everyone in the organization must be accountable for his actions, and while Phillips would not speak about Sanchez specifically, he did say, "People do need to be accountable, I agree with (Wilpon)."
Said Sanchez: "What should I apologize for? I did not do anything wrong."
GM says type of procedure is 'experimental'
May 6, 2003 - Mo Vaughn will get a second opinion to decide whether surgery will help him recover from an inflamed left knee.
Mo Vaughn"I have to get the spurs out, period,'' Vaughn said Wednesday. "There's too many in there. It's not just one. What to put in there to cushion the knee is the next question."
Vaughn has no cartilage in part of the knee, causing bone to rub against bone and pain that is too intense to play through.
He said he would consider an operation to shave the spurs and inject a substance into the knee to provide a cushion.
"I was up all night looking at this stuff," Vaughn said. "People are giving me all kinds of information."
General manager Steve Phillips said that type of procedure is "experimental" and wasn't sure if it would work on Vaughn.
"I'm not sure it's reversible," Phillips said. "I don't know what surgery resolves either. He has bone on bone. There's no cartilage on one side of the knee."
The Mets were also without catcher Mike Piazza in the starting lineup. Piazza did not start for the second straight game after having a mole removed from his abdomen. He was available to pinch-hit if necessary.
"I'll probably give him another day to be on the safe side," manager Art Howe said.
Vaughn's injury is more long term. Neither he nor the Mets would speculate on when he would be able to return from the disabled list.
He was hitting only .190 with three homers and 15 RBIs when he was placed on the disabled list Saturday. He also had committed five errors at first base.
"If I can't contribute the way I'm supposed to contribute, then what am I here for?" Vaughn said. "That's the way I've always been. I'm not going to mess around. I hope to make the right decision. Hopefully, it will work out right and I will get back on the field."
Vaughn is owed $15 million each of the next two seasons, and the Mets have a $14 million option with a $2 million buyout in 2005. Phillips said the Mets have insurance on the deal that will reimburse them for 75 percent of Vaughn's contract if he misses 90 days.
"The primary focus is the player's health," Phillips said. "He has been playing with significant pain that has clearly impacted his ability to perform. He has not been able to rotate on his back leg because of the knee and is not as mobile in the field as he was last year."
Mets beat Dodgers, Sanchez booed
May 6, 2003 - Tony Clark and Vance Wilson provided the excitement in the first regular-season meeting between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, not Mike Piazza and Guillermo Mota.
Rey Sanchez was booed by the Flushing Faithful when he was introduced.Clark and Wilson, both usually backups, hit consecutive fourth-inning homers that powered New York to a 3-2 victory.
“I didn’t think anything was going to happen. I don’t think anything is going to happen the next two days, either,” Mota said. “It’s over with.”
It was far more peaceful than their exhibition game on March 12, when Piazza was hit by Mota’s pitch and the teams got into a wild brawl. Piazza and Mota, who served four-game suspensions, hadn’t been together in the same ballpark since the fight.
Clark got his sixth start of the season at first base because Mo Vaughn went on the disabled list Sunday. Vaughn had an MRI exam and X-ray of his left knee Tuesday and learned he has arthritis, 10-12 bone spurs, lack of cartilage and fluid. He probably will be treated with injections of painkillers.
Pedro Astacio (2-1), pounded for nine runs by St. Louis in his previous start, allowed two runs and four hits in six innings against his former team.
New York’s Rey Sanchez was booed when he was introduced, possibly because of an ESPN radio report that he had a haircut in the clubhouse during a game earlier this season, an account he denied.
Sanchez turned the boos to cheers in the second with an RBI triple over Dave Roberts, a ball that bent back over the center fielder. Sanchez wouldn’t say whether it was difficult to keep his focus.
Met lose, Mo goes on DL
May 3, 2003 - The Milwaukee Brewers never flinched when shortstop Royce Clayton booted the ball to load the bases with one out in the ninth inning.
Two pitches later, closer Mike DeJean got Raul Gonzalez to ground into a game-ending double play and the Brewers ended a six-game losing streak Saturday night with a 3-2 victory over the New York Mets.
Mike Piazza bounced into a pair of double plays for the Mets, who also wasted a great chance to score in the eighth.
After the game, the Mets placed struggling slugger Mo Vaughn on the 15-day disabled list and recalled catcher Jason Phillips from Triple-A Norfolk.
Vaughn was sidelined with inflammation in his left knee. The big first baseman is batting just .190 with three homers and a team-leading 15 RBIs. He has made five errors.
Jason Phillips was up with the Mets earlier this season, getting one hit in five at-bats.
The Mets, who have lost six of seven, put runners at first and second with nobody out against right-hander Luis Vizcaino in the eighth, but Piazza grounded into his second double play of the night. With a runner at third and left-handed slugger Cliff Floyd up, Yost stuck with Vizcaino, who struck out Floyd.
May brings more Met misery
May 1, 2003 - Jim Edmonds was tired and eager to end the game.Edmonds homered off Scott Strickland with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 6-5 victory on Thursday.
Edmonds said he’s been tired since the Cardinals’ 20-inning victory at Florida on Sunday.
“I just prefer to go home,” said Edmonds, who played only three innings Wednesday because of fatigue. “I don’t want to play too many more extra-inning games. That 20-inning game took a lot out of me.”
The NL Central champions, who won the first two games 13-3 and 13-4, moved two games above .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season. New York has lost five in a row and is 11-17 overall, last place in the NL East, despite a $117 million payroll.
Rey Sanchez had four hits as the Mets rallied from a 5-1 run, sixth-inning deficit, with a run in the seventh and three more in the eighth. The big blow was Joe McEwing’s two-run double off the top of the left field wall off Steve Kline. Pinch-hitter Roberto Alomar tied it with a sacrifice fly off Dustin Hermanson.
McEwing, who had been 2-for-18 before the hit, preserved the tie when he snared Mike Matheny’s one-hop smash with a runner on second for the last out in the bottom of the eighth. He was a fan favorite when he played for the Cardinals in 1998 and ’99.
The Mets scored playing smallball in the first on a leadoff hit by Roger Cedeno, a sacrifice and Cliff Floyd’s RBI double. They got only one hit off Tomko the next five innings before chasing him with three hits in the seventh, including Jay Bell’s RBI single.
Tomko allowed three hits and had two strikeouts and two walks. Both of his strikeouts, against Mo Vaughn and Ty Wigginton, came in big spots after Mike Piazza walked and advanced on a wild pitch with one out in the sixth.
Piazza returned to the Mets’ lineup after missing a game with a swollen left knee and was 1-for-4.
The Cardinals have two series sweeps this year and this was their first against the Mets since Aug. 10-12, 2001, at New York.