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GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The New York Mets left the West Coast with
their pitching staff intact, thanks to Al Leiter.
Leiter gave the Mets precisely what they needed, allowing only
three hits in eight innings and retiring 14 straight batters as the
Mets beat the San Diego Padres 4-1 Wednesday night to avoid a
three-game sweep.
|  | | Al Leiter helps the Mets save face Wednesday, striking out 12 on the way to his 14th win of the season. |
Leiter (14-5) struck out 12 to match his season high, won for
the fifth time in six decisions and beat the Padres for the second
time this year.
His effort came a day after the Mets were embarrassed 16-1.
Tuesday's game got so out of hand that right fielder Derek Bell
pitched the eighth inning.
"I was well aware of what went on the last couple of games and
realized that I needed to go deep into this game," Leiter said.
"Even after the eight innings I partially wanted to convince him
(manager Bobby Valentine) that I could finish this game. But there
really wasn't any reason to."
Said Valentine: "Wow. You talk about coming up big. Al knew the
exact situation of this series and our bullpen. That was as good as
he's thrown all year."
Valentine said Leiter's curveball "was a devastating pitch."
"He had velocity, control, movement and tenacity," Valentine
said. "He wanted it."
Leiter's only mistake was giving up Damian Jackson's homer to
left on a 2-0 count with one out in the first. It was Jackson's
second homer in as many games; he hit a grand slam off Tuesday's
shell-shocked spot starter, Pat Mahomes.
After Jackson's homer, Leiter retired 14 straight batters, eight
by strikeout. Desi Relaford broke the string with a leadoff infield
single in the sixth.
Leiter said he was mad at himself for the pitch to Jackson,
"because I gave in a little bit and I just laid a cookie in. I
kind of kicked myself in the rear a little bit and got me a little
fired up.
"It was almost good in some sense, that I took it to another
level, had a good curveball and I just stayed aggressive. Once you
get in the flow of the game like that, and you feel good about what
you're doing, it's fun."
The Padres said they'd never seen Leiter throw as many
curveballs as he did, and were impressed by his slider and cutter.
"I had three at-bats and broke three bats," Relaford said.
"And the last one (a popup to Leiter) I wanted to crawl into a
hole. I took a full swing and barely got it to the pitcher."
Armando Benitez struck out the side in the ninth for his 34th
save in 37 chances.
Mike Bordick drove in the Mets' first two runs, and New York
benefited from Matt Clement's wildness in the three-run sixth.
Bordick twice came up with the bases loaded. He singled past
diving third baseman Phil Nevin to drive in New York's first run,
in the fourth. In the sixth, he was hit by a full-count pitch from
Clement to drive in Mike Piazza.
Piazza and Darryl Hamilton drew consecutive four-pitch walks to
open the sixth, and Benny Agbayani singled with one out. After
Bordick was hit, Leiter's bunt was fielded by Clement, who flipped
it home to force Hamilton, but the throw to first by catcher Wiki
Gonzalez hit Leiter in the back for an error, allowing Agbayani to
score. Lenny Harris then singled in Bordick.
Clement (11-12) allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks
in 5 2/3 innings.
Game notes
CF Ruben Rivera made a nice diving catch of Robin Ventura's
fly ball to end the fifth. ... Mets LHP Mike Hampton, who has a
fractured rib, will throw on the side Friday in New York and the
team will decide then whether he'll make or miss his next scheduled
start. He missed his start Tuesday. ... Piazza was back after
sitting out Tuesday's game with a swollen shin, but Edgardo Alfonzo
missed his second straight game, with a strained neck. ... Padres
farmhand Sean Burroughs was named to the U.S. Olympic team. He is
the son of 1974 AL MVP Jeff Burroughs, and led Long Beach to
consecutive Little League World Series in 1992-93. ... Nevin, who
has reached base safely in 44 straight games, struck out three
times.
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