One month after they fired their manager, the New York Mets are back in first place.
All-Star David Wright hit a two-run homer that started New York’s biggest ninth-inning comeback of the season, rallying the Mets to their 10th straight victory Thursday night, 10-8 over the host Cincinnati Reds. The Mets’ longest winning streak in 17 years moved them into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the NL East.
In exactly one month, they’ve come full circle.
“We’ve built this momentum and we’ve got our confidence back,” said Wright, who drove in four runs in all.
When they fired Willie Randolph on June 17, the Mets were 6 1/2 games out of first place and had the look of a $138 million disappointment. Now they’re golden.
“We’ve been taking such a beating all year long for how we play the game and what we’ve done wrong and what little we’ve done right,” closer Billy Wagner said. “I love seeing guys who told us two weeks ago how bad we stunk, and now they’re going, ‘Well, you’re in first place.’ Yeah.”
In the two other NL games, St. Louis beat San Diego 4-3 and Colorado beat Pittsburgh 5-3. In the only AL game, Detroit defeated Baltimore 6-5.
One of the more intriguing questions coming out of the All-Star break was whether the Mets could extend their amazing run of victories. Their pitching has been sensational, with four shutouts in the last six games before the break.
Johan Santana couldn’t keep it going, lasting only four innings.
“It was one of those days where whatever you do doesn’t go the way you want,” said Santana, who gave up five runs in his shortest outing of the season.
A balky offense that figured in Randolph’s firing made up for it.
Wright, Carlos Delgado and Fernando Tatis drove in all 10 runs. Delgado and Tatis hit two-run homers off rookie Johnny Cueto, who has now given up 22 in 20 starts. Wright also had a two-run single.
It appeared that the streak – now matching Minnesota for the longest in the majors this season – was about to end when Javier Valentin hit a bases-loaded double in the seventh to give Cincinnati an 8-6 lead. The Mets got down to their last two outs before they kept it going.
Argenis Reyes singled, and Wright – an All-Star designated hitter at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night – hit a tying homer to right field that barely eluded the glove of the leaping Ken Griffey Jr.
“It was one of those nights,” said Francisco Cordero, who blew a save for the fifth time in 24 chances. “Whatever I threw to home plate was going to get hit.”
That’s the way it’s going for the Mets these days.
Delgado had a tiebreaking single off Cordero, smacking his hands and pumping his firsts as he rounded first base. Tatis doubled home another run to complete the comeback.
Duaner Sanchez (4-1) escaped a scoring threat in the eighth. Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save in 29 chances.
So, the streak goes on, now one shy of the club record. The Mets have won 11 straight four times, most recently in June 1990.
“Momentum is one of those strange things,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. “You can’t identify it until it’s over. I guess we still have it.”
Cardinals 4, Padres 3
At St. Louis, Troy Glaus hit two homers and Rick Ankiel and Joe Mather added one apiece, helping Kyle Lohse (12-2) win his ninth straight decision. It’s the best such streak for a St. Louis pitcher since Chris Carpenter won 13 straight in 2005.
Lohse pitched seven innings, allowing two runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out four.
All four homers came off San Diego’s Jake Peavy (7-6), who gave up four in a game for only the second time in his seven-year career. The other time was July 9, 2003, at Arizona. Peavy gave up eight hits and struck out seven in seven innings.
Rockies 5, Pirates 3
At Denver, Chris Iannetta homered and drove in three runs, and Ubaldo Jimenez pitched seven strong innings for Colorado.
Jeff Baker was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs for the Rockies, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Brian Fuentes struck out the side in the ninth for his 15th save this season and 100th of his career.
Jimenez (5-9) struck out four and won for the fourth time in his last six decisions. He retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.
Paul Maholm (6-6) struck out seven in six innings for the Pirates but lost for the first time since dropping a 7-2 decision to Milwaukee on May 20.
Tigers 6, Orioles 5
At Baltimore, Gary Sheffield and Brandon Inge hit two-run homers, Marcus Thames added a solo shot, and Detroit won the only AL game of the evening.
Kenny Rogers (7-6) allowed four runs and 11 hits in six innings for the Tigers, who have won 24 of 35 since June 6.
Todd Jones, the fifth Detroit pitcher, worked the ninth for his 18th save. After allowing a one-out sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, he retired Kevin Millar on a ground ball.
Melvin Mora homered for the Orioles, who have dropped eight of nine. Baltimore starter Garrett Olson (6-5) gave up five runs, seven hits and four walks in six innings.
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