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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- With his first swing, Mike Bordick put himself
into the Mets' record book. With his last, he put his new team in
position to win.
Bordick homered on the first pitch he saw, then singled in the
eighth to set up the tiebreaking run and give the victory to
fellow newcomer Rick White as New York beat the St. Louis Cardinals
4-3 Saturday.
|  | | The Mets acquired Mike Bordick for his defense, but he made a good first impression offensively by hitting a first-pitch homer Saturday. |
"The most exciting thing is to get a win and see how much
energy is involved in a pennant chase," Bordick said. "It was
definitely one of the greatest highlights of my career."
A day after the Mets made trades with Baltimore and Tampa Bay,
they got instant results. Pinch-hitter Lenny Harris' RBI single
gave the Mets their fifth straight victory and made them 5-0
against the Cardinals this season.
White (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth. He walked two, and
struck out pinch-hitter Shawon Dunston to escape.
"I haven't had that feeling since I first came up in '94,"
White said. "There was so much energy out there. The fans were
yelling and screaming. I had to settle down."
Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his 25th save.
Two hours after the game, the Cardinals also made a trade with
Baltimore, getting reliever Mike Timlin for two minor leaguers.
Bordick, obtained from the Orioles for Melvin Mora and three
minor leagues, made a sudden impact. Acquired mainly for his glove,
the shortstop led off the third with a high drive over the
left-field fence against Andy Benes.
The crowd of 50,726, which gave Bordick a warm reception in the
pregame introductions, rewarded him with a long ovation and he
responded with a curtain call.
"The whole game was pretty intense," he said.
Bordick, coming off his first All-Star appearance, hit .297 with
16 home runs and 59 RBI for Baltimore. He became the first player
to homer in his first Mets at-bat since Todd Pratt in 1997.
Bordick didn't have time to get nervous in the field. He handled
a tricky hop and threw out Edgar Renteria, the second batter of the
game.
"It was good to get that first ground ball out of the way," he
said.
Mets general manager Steve Phillips was the first to offer
congratulations in the clubhouse. Handshakes, high-fives and pats
on the back followed from many teammates.
"He makes the plays without the flash. He gives a good at-bat
without the flash," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "I'm glad
I have him, and there are lots of New York Mets who are glad as
well."
Mike Piazza hit a 455-foot home run for the Mets. Jim Edmonds
hit his 30th homer and Ray Lankford also connected for the
Cardinals, who lost their third in a row.
Robin Ventura, activated from the 15-day disabled list, drew a
leadoff walk from Mike James (0-2) to start the eighth. One out
later, Bordick grounded a single through the right side that sent
Ventura to third.
A four-pitch walk to Benny Agbayani loaded the bases and Harris
followed with an RBI single.
White, traded with outfielder Bubba Trammell from Tampa Bay for
outfielder Jason Tyner and pitcher Paul Wilson, worked the eighth
and Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his 25th save.
Center fielders Jay Payton and Edmonds both made key plays to
keep it close.
Edmonds, in a catch reminiscent of the show-stopper he once
pulled off in Kansas City, raced straight back to the warning track
and made a head-long dive to rob Todd Zeile in the sixth. Edmonds
winked at Lankford in left field after the grab.
With the score 3-all, the Cardinals loaded the bases with one
out in the seventh. Lankford flied out to Payton, who made a strong
throw to cut down pinch-runner Rick Ankiel at home. Piazza did his
part, preventing Ankiel from ever reaching the plate.
"It was pretty shallow, but you have to try it," Cardinals
manager Tony La Russa said.
Ankiel, a pitcher, was running for Benes, who limped into third
base on Fernando Vina's double.
Benes wears a brace after getting his knee drained this month.
He said he was not hurt, but admitted, "It is a little sore."
Ventura made a diving, backhanded catch on Craig Paquette's
liner down the third-base line with the bases loaded in the sixth.
Edmonds' two-run homer off Rick Reed put St. Louis ahead 3-2 in
the fourth.
Piazza tied it in the sixth with his 29th homer, a monstrous
shot that sailed over the Cardinals' bullpen in left field and
landed in a playground area. He also had an RBI single in the
third.
Game notes
Fernando Tatis, normally St. Louis' third baseman, started
at first base. It was his first major league appearance at the
position, and he had no problems. ... Trammell did not play. ...
Edmonds joined Richie Allen (1970) and Ron Gant (1996) as Cardinals
to hit 30 homers in their first season with the team.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
Cardinals strengthen bullpen by acquiring Orioles' Timlin
Mets don't fall short, trade for Orioles' Bordick
Kurkjian: Bordick trade good for Mets
Indians deal Sexson, acquire Cordero, Segui
A's acquire setup man Mecir from Devil Rays
Trade Central
RECAPS
Cleveland 14
Baltimore 3
Baltimore 4
Cleveland 0
(2nd game)
Seattle 6
Toronto 5
Anaheim 6
Chi. White Sox 5
Minnesota 6
NY Yankees 2
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 1
Detroit 10
Texas 2
Oakland 12
Boston 1
Atlanta 13
Houston 5
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 3
Chicago Cubs 8
San Francisco 1
Florida 4
Arizona 2
Cincinnati 4
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 3
Los Angeles 0
Pittsburgh 10
San Diego 2
Colorado 10
Milwaukee 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mike Bordick had an exciting first day as a Met.
wav: 110 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
An excited Rick White had to settle down in his debut win with the Mets.
wav: 136 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Piazza likes the contributions of his new teammates.
wav: 265 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Bordick talks with ESPN's Ann Werner about playing for New York.
wav: 515 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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