Mets’ Franco Makes Amends With the Game-Winning Hit

Matt Franco, who personally blamed himself for a loss Sunday, delivered a pinch-hit single with two outs in the ninth inning Monday night that gave the New York Mets a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros at New York.

“It was great to have a chance to do something good,” Franco said.

Mike Piazza’s team-record streak of 10 consecutive games with a run batted in ended, but the Mets did not need him to win for seventh time in nine games.

“It’s a great quality to have, to know we can string a couple of hits together and get a win against a team like Houston,” Piazza said.

New York remained a half-game behind Atlanta in the NL East and the Astros held their half-game lead over Cincinnati in the Central.

Sunday, 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.

Darryl Hamilton doubled with one out in the ninth off Jay Powell (4-4) and took third on Roger Cedeno’s flyout. Rey Ordonez walked before Franco hit his dunker in shallow left.

Atlanta 6, Cincinnati 2--Chipper Jones homered and drove in three runs, Kevin Millwood survived a shaky start to pitch three-hit ball over seven innings and the Atlanta Braves remained atop the NL East, defeating the Reds at Atlanta.

The NL’s best home team, Atlanta improved its mark at Turner Field to 43-21 by cooling off the Reds, who at 38-18 are the best road team in baseball.

San Diego 7, Philadelphia 6--Woody Williams struck out a career-high 12 in six innings and, though Manager Bruce Bochy’s call to the bullpen nearly backfired, the Padres held on to defeat the Phillies at Philadelphia.

Leading 6-1, Williams was lifted after a dominant sixth. Mike Lieberthal hit reliever Will Cunnane’s first pitch to right for his 26th homer, making it 6-2, and Ron Gant’s bloop RBI double made it 6-3.

Donne Wall walked Bobby Abreu, but Scott Rolen fanned on three pitches. Rolen tied Dick Allen’s 1964 team record with five strikeouts.

Montreal 11, St. Louis 7--Vladimir Guerrero had three hits, including his 30th homer, to extend his hitting streak to 28 games and the St. Louis bullpen blew highly-touted Rick Ankiel’s major league debut at Montreal.

Ankiel gave up three runs in five-plus innings and left with a 4-2 lead before relievers Heathcliff Slocumb and Rick Crouhore gave up eight runs in two innings.

Arizona 2, Pittsburgh 1--Rob Ryan homered for his first major league hit and the Diamondbacks defeated the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

Ryan put Arizona ahead by leading off the fourth with a drive that bounced off a protective screen behind the right field wall, bounded back onto the field and was given to the Arizona dugout.

Chicago vs. San Francisco, rained out--The game at Chicago will be made up as part of a doubleheader Wednesday.