Everett’s Homers Power Met Sweep

Carl Everett homered twice against Cincinnati for the second time this season, and the surging New York Mets beat the Reds, 5-3, Monday to complete a four-game sweep.

Everett hit a 449-foot homer into the mezzanine to put the Mets ahead in the first inning. It was his 10th home run, and first since June 23.

With the score tied, 3-3, in the eighth, Everett hit a two-run homer off Scott Sullivan (1-3), sending the Mets on the way to their fifth consecutive victory.

Everett had the third multi-homer game of his career. He also did it against the Reds on June 13.

John Olerud singled leading off the eighth, but Todd Hundley and Edgardo Alfonzo followed with fly outs.

Met starter Bobby Jones remained winless in six starts since June 20, giving up three runs and six hits in seven innings and twice wasting one-run leads.

Greg McMichael (7-7) pitched one inning and John Franco finished for his 25th save in 29 chances, provoking chants of “Sweep! Sweep!” from the fans.

Red starter Dave Burba gave up only one hit in 5 2/3 innings, but gave up three runs mainly because of five walks. New York won despite getting only four hits.

After Everett’s first homer, the Reds tied the score on Bret Boone’s RBI double in the fifth. Hal Morris, who scored on the hit, looked as if he was tagged out running from first to second a batter earlier on Joe Oliver’s grounder, but second base umpire Angel Hernandez ruled second baseman Carlos Baerga didn’t tag him, prompting arguments from both Baerga and Met manager Bobby Valentine.

Jon Nunnally, acquired in a trade with Kansas City last week, put Cincinnati ahead with a sixth-inning homer, but the Mets took a 3-2 lead in the bottom half without hitting the ball out of the infield.

Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases, and Burba forced in a run by walking Everett. Baerga then hit an infield single that drove in a run as third baseman Willie Greene made a diving stop near the foul line.

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