No Place Like Home for Rogers

When Kenny Rogers feels at home, he’s nearly impossible to beat.

Rogers won his 17th consecutive home decision and Robin Ventura hit a two-run single in the sixth inning to carry the New York Mets over the Houston Astros, 4-0, Wednesday night at Shea Stadium.

Rogers (3-0) allowed seven hits in 8 1/3 innings, struck out five and walked two before Dennis Cook finished for his third save. Rogers left to a standing ovation from a New York crowd that never treated him as well when he pitched for the Yankees in 1996-97.

“I never expected that,” Rogers said. “It was nice to hear. I’m just going to have to go out and keep pitching well.”

Rogers’ streak dates to June 28, 1997, and is the longest since Frank Viola won 19 straight at Minnesota in 1987-88.

The Mets, who won for the 11th time in 15 games, remained 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the National League East but increased their lead to 3 1/2 games over Cincinnati in the wild-card race.

Houston’s lead in the Central over the Reds remained at 1 1/2 games after losing two of three to the Mets.

Both teams put two runners on in the fifth before the Mets broke through with four runs in the sixth. Rickey Henderson led off with a single, but Shane Reynolds (14-10) retired the next two batters.

Mike Piazza doubled Henderson to third on a first-pitch slider as the Mets put together five consecutive hits--four on the first pitch. Ventura singled to make it 2-0 and draw chants of “M-V-P!” from the crowd of 44,640.

Darryl Hamilton added an RBI single and later scored on third baseman Ken Caminiti’s throwing error.

Atlanta 5, Cincinnati 2--Andruw Jones hit a three-run homer and Tom Glavine pitched seven strong innings as the Braves completed a three-game sweep of the Reds at Atlanta.

Glavine (11-9) allowed five hits, and Mike Remlinger and John Rocker each pitched a scoreless inning, with Rocker getting his 28th save.

Former Brave Denny Neagle (3-5) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Arizona 7, Florida 2--Todd Stottlemyre got his first victory since returning from a rotator cuff injury, scattering five hits over seven innings in the Diamondbacks’ victory at Miami.

Stottlemyre (5-2) was making his second start since missing three months because of a partial tear of his right rotator cuff.

Arizona has won nine of 10 overall and 17 of 20 on the road. The West leaders are 26-7 since July 20, the best record in the majors during that span.

Philadelphia 15, San Diego 1--Rico Brogna homered twice and had a career-high seven RBIs at Veterans Stadium. Brogna was four for five for the second day in a row and is 20 for 35 (.571) with 15 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

Mike Lieberthal hit his 27th homer, tying Darren Daulton’s 1992 club record for catchers.

Robert Person (8-3) got the victory. Matt Clement (6-12) allowed nine runs--seven earned--and took the loss.

Pittsburgh 9, Colorado 3--Brian Giles hit his 30th home run at Pittsburgh and Chris Peters (2-1), who had been bothered by left shoulder inflammation, allowed one unearned run and three hits in seven innings in his first appearance since May 23.