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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Trailing from the start, the New York Mets kept
chipping away until they finally completed the comeback.
Robin Ventura homered twice to keep New York close and Todd
Zeile hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning
Saturday night as the Mets rallied from a four-run deficit to beat
the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-8.
"There's no time clock," Ventura said as the Mets bounced back
from deficits of 3-0, 6-3 and 8-4. "We kept grinding and guys came
up with big at-bats, big hits until Todd broke through."
There were many hitting stars on this night for the Mets. Derek
Bell went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, Edgardo Alfonzo had a
pair of RBI doubles -- including a game-tying hit in the eighth -- and Mike Piazza had a key two-run double.
New York has won 20 of its last 24 games against Pittsburgh at
Shea Stadium.
"We stole it," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "It didn't
look like we would to be able to get it but we did. We needed a lot
of hitting tonight, and everybody contributed."
Pirates starter Jose Silva left with a 6-3 lead after five
innings, but the Mets scored one run in the sixth, three in the
seventh and three in the eighth to finally go ahead.
Ventura, who hit a solo shot in the second, homered leading off
the sixth for his 18th career multihomer game, making it 6-4.
The Pirates went ahead 8-4 in the seventh on a solo homer by
Brian Giles and an RBI single by Abraham Nunez, before the Mets
completed the comeback.
"We kept adding runs on which I like," Pirates manager Gene
Lamont said. "When we got the two in the seventh I felt pretty
good. But they just kept coming at us. They've got good offense."
Bell led off the seventh with a single and took second when Rich
Loiselle (0-3) walked Alfonzo. Piazza then lined a two-run double
to right-center, extending his hitting streak to 13 games and RBIs
streak to seven.
Piazza advanced on a one-out fly ball and scored when Nunez
misplayed Jay Payton's grounder to shortstop for an error, making
it 8-7.
After a scoreless inning by John Franco (3-3), Bell got things
started again in the eighth, walking with one out against Loiselle.
Alfonzo then lined a double down the left-field line to tie the
game. One out later, Ventura was intentionally walked and Zeile hit
a two-run double to right-center.
"Zeile is a good hitter," Lamont said. "A big situation is
not going to intimidate him. He drives in a lot of runs."
On a night with 27 hits and 18 runs, Franco and Armando Benitez
closed it for the Mets with two perfect innings of relief. Franco
pitched 1 1-3 perfect innings, and Benitez got two outs for his
17th save in 20 chances.
"We kept chipping away and chipping away," Zeile said. "We
got close and Johnny did a good job keeping us there and giving us
the momentum. And we capitalized on it."
Kevin Young, a last-minute addition to Pittsburgh's lineup, and
John Vander Wal also homered for the Pirates (31-42), who are a
season-worst 11 games under .500.
Young, who started in place of Wil Cordero, who was scratched
because of an upset stomach, had three hits.
The Pirates jumped all over Mets starter Rick Reed for four runs
and nine hits in three innings. Reed, who normally keeps hitters
off balance by changing speeds, had little luck against the
Pirates, who hit almost every ball hard against the right-hander.
He allowed seven hits to his first 10 batters, including Vander
Wal's homer off the scoreboard in right-center.
Luis Sojo doubled off the left-field wall to open the second and
scored on one-out single by Silva, who entered 5-for-58 with three
RBIs in his career.
Young homered into the back of the left-center field bleachers
leading off the third, making it 4-1.
Game notes
Loiselle allowed five runs, three hits and four walks in
two innings. ... Silva walked Bell in the first inning. He had
issued just one non-intentional walk to his previous 141 batters.
... Reed didn't walk a batter, giving him 12 in 87 2-3 innings, the
best ratio in the NL. ... Giles had gone 42 at-bats without a homer
before connecting in the seventh for the first time since June 11
at Kansas City. ... The Pirates lead the majors with 50 unearned
runs allowed.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 8
Detroit 1
Detroit 14
Cleveland 8
(2nd game)
NY Yankees 12
Chi. White Sox 8
Kansas City 8
Oakland 3
Toronto 6
Boston 4
Seattle 2
Baltimore 1
Tampa Bay 9
Texas 7
Minnesota 11
Anaheim 5
St. Louis 6
Los Angeles 1
Philadelphia 8
Montreal 1
San Francisco 13
Houston 4
Cincinnati 11
San Diego 5
Florida 7
Chicago Cubs 4
Milwaukee 2
Atlanta 1
NY Mets 10
Pittsburgh 8
Colorado 4
Arizona 0
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