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One and done Mets blank Dodgers 1-0 for eighth straight win
Posted: Monday April 24, 2000 06:14 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- The way the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers had been swinging the bats lately, nobody expected to see a string of zeros on the scoreboard in the ninth inning. But that's exactly what they had until Matt Franco's RBI infield single in the bottom of the ninth Monday gave the streaking Mets their eighth straight victory, 1-0 over the Dodgers. Los Angeles scored 36 runs in its three-game sweep of Cincinnati over the weekend, and the Mets had 30 in three victories over the Cubs. "Who would have thought that with two teams hitting the ball this well, that one [run] would be enough," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. It is the longest winning streak for the Mets since they took nine in a row in May 1998. New York has won 10 of 11 overall. "Everybody's been contributing," Franco said. "The starting pitching has been great. The bullpen has been great. Everybody has been doing their job." The Mets got help in the ninth when the left side of the Dodgers' infield made a lackadaisical play and third-base umpire Gerry Davis made a controversial call in New York's favor. Robin Ventura led off with a double off hard-luck loser Terry Adams (1-1) and was lifted for pinch-runner Melvin Mora. Jon Nunnally walked and Jay Payton hit a bouncer to shortstop Kevin Elster, who flipped to third in an attempt to force Mora. But Adrian Beltre's foot was off the bag when he caught Elster's soft, backhand toss, and he tried to tag Mora, who was called safe by Davis. Dodgers manager Davey Johnson immediately argued the call and was ejected. Replays appeared to indicate that Davis made the correct call. "I thought he was out," Johnson said. "I thought his foot was on the bag even though he tried to tag him." One out later, Franco, who entered the game at first base in a seventh-inning double switch, hit a bouncer off Adams' glove that deflected behind the mound. Nunnally scored without a play. "I felt I did the things I needed to do to get out of the inning," Adams said. "I just didn't field my position." The teams got a sunny and pleasant afternoon to make up an April 9 game snowed out at Shea Stadium. The Dodgers sandwiched the one-game stop between a weekend series in Cincinnati and a trip to Atlanta, where they play Tuesday night. "Long days, man," Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley said. "Tough travel. It was a good baseball game. They just caught some breaks." Armando Benitez (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory. Pat Mahomes, starting in place of Rick Reed, who is nursing a sore left thumb, allowed just two singles in 5 2-3 scoreless innings. "Pat's been tough. I don't know where we'd be without him over the last two years," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. Dodgers starter Darren Dreifort allowed five hits in six scoreless innings. Los Angeles had won seven consecutive road games. Notes: Dodgers ace Kevin Brown, who broke his right pinky trying to bunt against the Mets on April 8, is scheduled to come off the disabled list and start against Tom Glavine and the Braves on Tuesday night. ... Los Angeles is 9-4 on the road this season. ... Dreifort allowed two hits and eight walks in five innings of a 2-1 loss to the Mets on April 7. ... Before grounding into a double play to end the fifth inning, New York's Derek Bell had 14 hits in 16 at-bats. ... Piazza went 0-for-3 against Dreifort and is 2-for-16 (.125) against him in his career. ... Mahomes also went 5 2-3 innings in his only other start this season against Brown and the Dodgers on April 8. He gave up one run and got a no-decision as Los Angeles won 6-5 in 11 innings.
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