Elmer Dessens pitched well against the Mets. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        NEW YORK — John Riedling put the pitch right where he wanted it — or so he thought. “It was a pretty good first-pitch curveball,” Riedling said. “I guess now I'd say I wish it was a little lower.”

        If it had been a little lower, Mo Vaughn might not have been able to ground it past second baseman Todd Walker and into right field for the game-winning hit in the New York Mets' 3-2 victory over the Reds Friday night at Shea Stadium.

        Vaughn's hit came with two out and the bases loaded in the ninth.

        It was the kind of game that was destined to come down to one or two pitches. It did. Riedling's just happened to be the last one.

        But it wasn't one Reds manager Bob Boone wanted back. Those came much earlier.

        The first came in the first inning. With runners at first and second and Mike Piazza at the plate, the Reds pitched out. Timo Perez, the runner at first, was one dead duck — until catcher Jason LaRue dropped the ball. That allowed Perez to get back to first. He later scored the game's first run.

        “We catch the pitchout and we win the game,” Boone said.

        The second pitch Boone wanted back came in the fourth. With Jay Payton at first and starting pitcher Pedro Astacio showing bunt, Elmer Dessens threw a sinker that didn't sink.

        Astacio slug-bunted into left field, allowing Payton to go all the way to third. He scored the second run.

        “I was just trying to throw a strike,” Dessens said. “He surprised me.”

        Friday's loss dropped the Reds a season-high five games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.

Junior gets nailed in the head in the 8th inning... (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The loss also put the Reds in a tie with the Mets in the wild-card race. The Reds began the evening 3½ games behind Los Angeles and San Francisco for the wild card.

        Friday's game developed into a pitcher's duel between Dessens and New York's Astacio.

        Dessens went 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits. Astacio went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits.

        Dessens' streak of scoreless innings ended at 17 when he gave up an unearned run in the first.

        Astacio's slug-bunt made it 2-0 in the fourth.

        Barry Larkin ended the inning with a great defensive play, going into shallow center to catch Perez's blooper, then turned and threw to second to double up Astacio. But Larkin had to leave the game because he strained a calf muscle earlier in the inning. He is day-to-day.

        The Reds, who averaged 7.7 runs over their last four games coming into Friday, finally showed signs of life in the sixth. Aaron Boone and Ken Griffey Jr. started the inning with singles.

...and then gets picked off first. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Austin Kearns got Boone in with a single to left. Griffey ended up at third and Kearns at second on Perez's wild throw to the plate. The Mets intentionally walked Russell Branyan to load the bases. Juan Castro, Larkin's replacement, tied it with a sacrifice fly.

        The Reds would get only one more baserunner the rest of the night. Griffey was hit on the helmet by a pitch from Mark Guthrie. The blow cracked Griffey's helmet, but he stayed in the game.

        Rey Ordonez led off the Mets ninth with a single, and pinch hitter Marco Scutaro sacrificed Ordonez to second. After the Reds intentionally walked Roberto Alomar, Perez grounded into a fielder's choice, forcing Alomar at second.

        That brought up Piazza, who walked on eight pitches.

        Then came Vaughn, a left-handed hitter.

        “That would have been a nice spot for (left-hander) Gabe White,” Boone said.

        But White's on the disabled list.

        That left Riedling.

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