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| | Tuesday, October 5 | |||||
| Records Diamondbacks 100-62, first in West; Mets 97-66, wild card, second in East. How they got there The Diamondbacks took over first place on July 24 and never looked back, becoming the quickest expansion team to reach the postseason (second year). They were helped by 48-33 road record including 28-6 stretch. The Mets battled Atlanta for first in the East until late-season near collapse. They salvaged postseason hopes by closing with three wins, forcing a one-game playoff for wild card with Cincinnati. Probable starters Season series Diamondbacks took five of six. Last met May 30 when Randy Johnson struck out 10 and collected two hits and an RBI in win over Masato Yoshii at Shea Stadium. D-Backs outscored Mets 47-25 overall. Key for the Diamondbacks NL scoring leaders need to keep offense in high gear and win when Randy Johnson is on the mound. If hot, "Big Unit" has talent to carry team to a World Series. Key for the Mets Defense must continue to sparkle since it has to support a suspect postseason starting rotation. Same goes for overworked bullpen, where closer Armando Benitez must overcome his postseason failures from his days with the Baltimore Orioles. Series notes Johnson has pitched 12 complete games and is averaging better than 7 2/3 innings per start; at one point lost four straight starts by 1-0 or 2-0 when he allowed five earned runs in 32 innings ... Closer Matt Mantei is 21-for-24 in save situations since coming over from Florida July 9 ... Leadoff man Tony Womack (.277, 111 runs) leads the majors with 72 stolen bases ... Two of team's top hitters have postseason experience. 3B Matt Williams (35 HRs, 142 RBI) and OF Steve Finley (34 HRs, 103 RBI) have played in the last two World Series ... Met Mike Piazza (40 HRs, 124 RBI) is the finest remains one of game's top hitter ... Outfield play solid, though lack power. CF Darryl Hamilton (.315, 83 runs) was a key acquisition from Rockies this season ... Veterans OF Rickey Henderson (.314, 89 runs) and P Orel Hershiser (13-12, 4.58 ERA) have played beyond their years ... Mets' reliever John Franco has never played in a postseason game in his 16-year big league career ... Last playoff appearance came in 1988 when former Dodger Hershiser pitched a complete game shutout to eliminate Mets in Game 7 of NLCS. Compiled by Scripps Howard News Service |  | |||||