Tuesday, August 24, 1999
Mets 3, Astros 2
BY BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK — Matt Franco, who blamed himself for a loss the previous day, bounced back to deliver an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning Monday night that lifted the New York Mets over Houston 3-2.
Mike Piazza's team-record streak of 10 straight games with RBI ended, but the Mets did not need him to win for seventh time in nine games.
New York remained a half-game behind Atlanta in the NL East. The Astros held their half-game lead over Cincinnati — which lost to the Braves 6-2 — in the NL Central.
A day earlier, Franco grounded into a bases-loaded double play and also misplayed a fly ball into a three-run double during the Mets' 7-5 loss to St. Louis in the second game of a doubleheader.
Franco quickly atoned with his team-leading 13th pinch-hit in 46 tries.
Darryl Hamilton doubled with one out in the ninth off Jay Powell (4-4) and took third on Roger Cedeno's flyout. After an intentional walk to Rey Ordonez, Franco sliced a blooper that fell beyond shortstop Tim Bogar and in front of left fielder Matt Mieske.
Armando Benitez (3-2) struck out Lance Berkman with runners at the corners to end the ninth.
Scott Elarton gave up Edgardo Alfonzo's solo homer in the first, and left after the eighth with the score tied at 2.
Elarton was rained out of his start Sunday at Florida. Originally pushed back to Tuesday, he instead pitched in place of Mike Hampton, who spent the weekend in Texas after his wife gave birth to the couple's second child.
Mets starter Al Leiter gave up Craig Biggio's major league-leading 50th double on his first pitch. The Astros did little else until Mieske homered to start the fifth.
Carl Everett homered against his former team to start the Houston seventh, tying it at 2. It was his 20th home run, extending his career high.
Alfonzo also reached 20 homers for the first time. The Mets made it 2-0 in the fourth when Robin Ventura singled, Hamilton doubled and Cedeno had a sacrifice fly.
Elarton prevented further trouble when he stuck out his foot to stop Rey Ordonez's hard shot and recovered in time to throw out Hamilton at the plate.
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