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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Although Glendon Rusch didn't have his best
stuff against the San Francisco Giants, a couple of big pitches and
long hits gave the Mets a victory.
Rusch pitched five innings and got out of two early bases-loaded
jams, and Mike Piazza and Edgardo Alfonzo each hit two-run homers
in New York's 4-1 win Friday night.
"Glendon was big tonight," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said.
"He got into two big jams early, and had to make some pitches. He
did that and really deserved to get the win."
Rick White, John Franco and Armando Benitez combined for four
innings of hitless relief to stop the NL West-leading Giants'
four-game winning streak.
"We took Glendon out because we thought he had had enough,"
Valentine said. "But the bullpen was rested and efficient tonight.
That's the sort of thing crucial for us to win."
|  | | Mike Piazza (31) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run off Giants pitcher Mark Gardner in the fourth inning Friday. |
The Giants had a chance to get to Rusch (8-9) early, but left
the bases loaded in the second and third innings.
"Obviously, I didn't have my best stuff and command tonight,"
Rusch said. "But when you have that type of lineup and defense
behind, sometimes it just works out for you."
Jeff Kent opened the second with a double, and two outs later,
Rusch walked J.T. Snow and Doug Mirabelli. But Mark Gardner hit a
line drive right at center fielder Jay Payton to end the threat.
In the third, Russ Davis hit a one-out single. After Barry Bonds
was called out on strikes, Kent walked. Ellis Burks followed with a
grounder down the third-base line that Robin Ventura fielded.
Ventura took a swipe with his glove at Davis, who was running to
third, but third-base umpire Scott Higgins ruled Ventura missed the
tag to load the bases. Replays showed Ventura's glove did miss
Davis, and the play was ruled a hit.
Valentine came out of the dugout briefly to discuss the call,
and Rusch got out of the jam as Rich Aurilia was called out on
strikes. Aurilia and manager Dusty Baker questioned the call by
plate umpire Charlie Williams after the game.
"That was real key," Baker said. "There's no guarantee that
we're going to come through in that situation, but we had no chance
with that call."
In their only previous meetings this season, the Giants swept
four in a row from the Mets in a testy series at Pacific Bell Park.
The start of this game was delayed by rain for 38 minutes.
Piazza gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the fourth with his 31st home
run, prompting chants of "MVP! MVP!" from the crowd.
"I can't really think about that right now," Piazza said. "Of
course, it's flattering, but I just want to do the things to help
the team win -- just play ball."
Darryl Hamilton led off with a double and went to third one out
later on Alfonzo's long fly to right field. Piazza, 1-for-4, then
turned on a 1-0 fastball from Gardner (7-6) and sent it over the
picnic area in left field.
"I was throwing that pitch all night, and some were taking it
because it's a little inside," Gardner said. "But that's why
Mike's a candidate for the best hitter around. He's a bad ball
hitter; he's a good ball hitter. It doesn't matter with him."
Ellis Burks made it 2-1 with an RBI single in the fifth. Calvin
Murray led off with a single and moved to third on groundouts by
Russ Davis and Barry Bonds. Kent walked and Burks singled to right
to drive in Murray.
Hamilton led off the sixth with a single. After Bell struck out
looking for the second time, Alfonzo followed with a two-run homer
over the picnic area in left -- in almost the exact spot Piazza hit
his -- to make it 4-1 and finish Gardner.
"We had Rusch on the ropes a couple of times, but we couldn't
do much with him," Baker said.
Game notes
The homers hit by Piazza and Alfonzo were both estimated at
411 feet. ... Rusch, who walked just 11 in his previous 56 2-3
innings, walked four in five innings. He allowed one run, five hits
and struck out five. ... Friday night marked the beginning of an
eight-game homestand for the Mets, who are 38-18 at Shea Stadium
this season -- one win behind San Francisco and Arizona for most NL
home victories. ... Benitez's save was his 28th in 32
opportunities.
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 Edgardo Alfonzo says the Mets are playing with confidence.
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