Ventura Does His Share and Mets Win, 12-9

The New York Mets kept losing players to injuries and their bullpen kept giving up runs. But it made no difference on a day the Pittsburgh Pirates tried to trade runs with a superior offense.

Robin Ventura homered and drove in six runs and the Mets withstood first-inning injuries to pitcher Bobby J. Jones and Rickey Henderson to defeat the Pirates, 12-9, Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Two days after getting 20 hits in an 8-5, 12-inning victory over the Pirates, the Mets had 15 hits--nine for extra bases--while scoring in all but three innings.

“Those were more like rounds than innings,” Ventura said. “It felt like whomever was left standing would win. It seemed like whatever amount of runs you had, it wasn’t going to be enough.”

Mike Piazza went three for four with two doubles to finish the three-game series with eight hits in 10 at-bats, including two homers and three doubles. He reached base in 11 of 12 plate appearances.

Jones made eight pitches, failing to retire the two batters he faced, when he strained his right calf as he ran over to back up third base on a throw.

Henderson’s right thumb was bruised when he was hit by a Kris Benson pitch leading off the game. He stayed in the game until being retired at third base on a ground ball.

San Diego 13, Houston 3--Al Martin set a club record with five runs scored and hit a two-run homer as the Padres routed the Astros at San Diego.

Martin went four for five to tie his career high for hits and broke the Padres’ record for runs, achieved 35 times previously. Martin scored the record run on Eric Owens’ infield single in the seventh.

Staked to 7-0 lead after three innings, Matt Clement yielded three runs runs and seven hits in seven innings, striking out eight and walking one.

St. Louis 9-13, Colorado 3-14--Jeff Manto hit a go-ahead double during an eight-run sixth inning that propelled the Rockies in the second game of a day-night doubleheader at Denver.

The Rockies came back from deficits of 3-0, 7-3 and 9-5 by sending 14 batters to the plate against four pitchers in the inning, which lasted one hour.

J.D. Drew had a three-run double in the Cardinals’ first-game win. Drew is off to an impressive start this season. He is eight for 16 with four homers and 12 RBIs in the first two weeks.

Atlanta 2, Milwaukee 1--Terry Mulholland pitched eight strong innings and got his first victory of the season as the Braves completed a disappointing Midwestern trip with two wins in six games.

Mulholland, who almost had his first complete game since June 18, 1997, yielded eight hits and didn’t allow a runner past first base after the third inning.

Florida 6, Chicago 5--Cliff Floyd hit a home run that barely curved around the right-field foul pole in the 10th inning at Wrigley Field, capping the Marlins’ comeback from a 5-0 deficit.

With one out, Floyd hit a 2-and-1 pitch from Ruben Quevado. First baseman Mark Grace and Manager Don Baylor claimed the ball was foul. But first base umpire Mark Hirschbeck ruled it fair, and replays showed he was correct.

Philadelphia 5, Montreal 4--Bobby Abreu seems to do his best hitting with runners on base. Abreu, batting .343 overall, led the majors last season by hitting .427 with runners in scoring position.

He’s four for seven in those situations this season with four RBIs after driving in the winning run with a single in the ninth inning at Philadelphia.

Arizona at San Francisco--The Giants, who have not won in new Pacific Bell Park, completed a winless homestand with a rainout. Officials waited 1 hour 42 minutes before postponing the game. It has not yet been rescheduled.