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  Tuesday, May 9 7:05pm ET
Hampton puts it together as Mets shut out Pirates
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The New York Mets thought they were acquiring an ace when they traded for Mike Hampton. On Tuesday, he reminded them they were right.

Hampton allowed six hits in 8 1/3 innings to lead the slumping Mets over the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0.

Mike Hampton
Mike Hampton struck out eight and walked only one in 8 1/3 innings Tuesday.

"It's nice to win," he said. "It's nice to go out when the team needed me and do a good job. It's just a small step. The key tonight was feeling comfortable and keeping my focus."

He allowed himself a postgame smile, but that's as close as he got to celebrating his best start of the year.

If Hampton wasn't about to rave about his work, others were willing.

"That's what the doctor ordered," Mets general manager Steve Phillips said. "That's what we thought we'd get when he got him."

Hampton largely struggled in his first seven starts for New York, compiling a 6.52 ERA and walking 36 in 38 2/3 innings.

"I think maybe he stopped thinking about himself and just thought about the competition," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "He pitched the way he's capable of pitching."

Hampton (3-4), acquired from Houston in a December deal, allowed six hits, struck out eight and walked one.

His father, Mike Hampton Sr., saw his son struggle and drove 300 miles to Miami to spend time with Mike Jr.

Tom Seaver, a broadcaster and occasional instructor for the Mets, spoke with Hampton for 15 minutes in the clubhouse last Saturday. Whatever they said seemed to work.

"There's adjustments you have to make in a season and in a career. Talking to Tom Seaver, he told me some of the greatest pitchers in the world have had this. You have to go out, concentrate and relax. That's the biggest thing. There are ups and downs, and for me there was a big down period."

Derek Bell and Edgardo Alfonzo hit consecutive home runs in the third inning against Kris Benson (2-4) to back Hampton, who has won three of his last four decisions. It was just the second win in eight games for the Mets.

"I was just able to relax a little bit," Hampton said. "I felt pretty comfortable the whole game. I didn't worry about too much other than making pitches.

After Hampton allowed Brian Giles' leadoff hit in the ninth and hit Wil Cordero with one out, Armando Benitez relieved for his ninth save in 10 chances. He retired Pat Meares on a flyout and struck out pinch-hitter John Vander Wal.

Bell, acquired in the Hampton deal, hit a 2-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his sixth home run and Alfonzo, who went 3-for-4, hit the next pitch to center for his fifth.

"I feel good about the way I threw," Benson said. "I got a couple of pitches up in one inning and I paid for it."

Hampton pitched out of a jam in the fifth when Kevin Young led off with a single and Bell misjudged Wil Cordero's fly to right which went over his head for a double.

Hampton struck out Meares, Young was retired during a rundown following Luis Sojo's grounder and Benson hit a comebacker.

Benson has allowed 15 of his 26 runs this season on nine home runs.

Game notes
Some sluggish baserunning by the Pirates helped Hampton escape the fifth without a run. Hampton threw a pitch in the dirt that skipped away from Mike Piazza but Young didn't break from third. Piazza overthrew Hampton at the plate but Young still stayed at third. ... The Mets have hit consecutive homers three times this season, twice in Pittsburgh. Piazza and Robin Ventura did it against the Pirates on April 15 and Alfonzo and Piazza homered against the Cubs on April 23. ... Opponents are hitting .370 against Pirates reliever Jose Silva, so the coaching staff is trying to alter his motion. The belief is hitters are seeing the ball too early. ... Sojo's streak of home runs in consecutive games ended at three. The last Pirates player to homer in four straight was Barry Bonds from Aug. 18-21, 1987. ... It was the Mets' second shutout win.
 


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