Mets Just Can’t Win at Turner Field

The New York Mets’ troubles at Atlanta’s Turner Field continued, as they lost there for the 17th time in 18 games.

Brian Jordan drove in three runs and John Burkett pitched 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Atlanta Braves, who beat the Mets, 6-3, Friday night.

“I’m not quite sure as to why,” said Met starter Al Leiter, who has never won in Atlanta. “They’re a good baseball team and we haven’t played as well as we would have liked to at Turner Field.”

At home, the Braves are 14-1 against the Mets during the regular season since September 1997. They won three more games at Turner Field during last season’s memorable National League Championship Series.

The Mets’ woes even extended to this year’s All-Star game--Leiter was charged with the loss.

“It may look like we have an edge on them,” Chipper Jones said, “but that could change overnight.”

The Mets fell six games behind Atlanta in the NL East.

Burkett (7-4), dropped from the rotation when Atlanta traded for Andy Ashby during the All-Star break, came on in the third inning after starter Terry Mulholland gave up four hits and three runs.

With the bases loaded and two out, Burkett got Melvin Mora on a flyout to center. The right-hander wound up facing the minimum during his stint on the mound, giving up his lone hit to Lenny Harris leading off the fourth. Harris was erased on a double play.

Leiter (10-4) gave up a home run to Javy Lopez in the sixth inning.

Arizona 5, Cincinnati 4--Luis Gonzalez doubled with two out in the eighth inning, driving in the go-ahead run, and the Diamondbacks held on to beat the Reds at Cincinnati.

The game ended after Barry Larkin, who could be on his way to the New York Mets, drew a two-out walk from Matt Mantei and Ken Griffey Jr. struck out.

The 46,101 fans on hand for the game and a Beach Boys concert afterward were on their feet when Griffey came to bat. A hush came over them when Griffey struck out.

Several pro-Larkin banners fluttered around the stadium. He was hitless in three at-bats with a pair of walks.

After wasting leadoff triples in the sixth and seventh--both set up by Dante Bichette’s misplays in right field--the Diamondbacks finally got a clutch hit and broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth. A walk and Jay Bell’s two-out single off Scott Sullivan (1-4) left runners on first and third. Gonzalez hit a ground-rule double off Dennys Reyes for the go-ahead run.

St. Louis 12, Houston 1--Edgar Renteria drove in four runs at Houston and rookie Rick Ankiel struck out 11 in seven innings as the Cardinals ended a three-game losing streak by routing the Astros.

Ankiel (7-5) allowed only three hits and tied his career strikeout high to win for the first time in five outings.

He had two no-decisions and two losses and had not won since June 20. Ankiel also went two for three and scored two runs.

Scott Elarton (9-4) had a five-game winning streak ended, losing for the first time since June 16. Elarton allowed five runs, only three earned, on seven hits and three walks with no strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

San Diego 5, Colorado 1--Adam Eaton won for the first time in nine starts and went three for three at the plate as the Padres won at Denver.

Eaton (2-1), who won May 30 against Milwaukee and had seven no-decisions since, gave up a run and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings, his longest stint of the year.

The 22-year-old right-hander also walked and became the first Padre pitcher in over five years to steal a base.

Al Martin had a two-run single for the Padres.

Chicago 4, Milwaukee 2--Kerry Wood put together consecutive victories for the first time this season, pitching the Cubs to a victory over the Brewers at Chicago.

Mark Grace had a go-ahead RBI single in the third inning to spark the Cubs, who won for the eighth time in 11 games.

Wood (5-6), who beat Kansas City July 16 in his last start, gave up two runs on four hits and five walks over six innings, striking out four. The right-hander has worked at least six innings in 10 of his 14 starts.

“I really didn’t feel like I was in sync,” said Wood, who relied on his fastball and changeup but struggled with his breaking pitches. “I’ve got to get into a rhythm. The last two starts, I haven’t felt real comfortable as far as location and everything like that.”

Rick Aguilera pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 27 chances.

John Snyder (3-5) took the loss and dropped to 0-3 in four July starts. He gave up two runs on five hits and six walks over 4 2/3 innings, striking out three.

“Terrible. That’s the operative word,” Milwaukee Manager Davey Lopes said of Snyder.

Pittsburgh 9, Philadelphia 2--Jimmy Anderson, a rookie, allowed three hits in eight innings and Mike Benjamin drove in three runs as the Pirates beat the Phillies at Pittsburgh.

Anderson (3-5) walked three, hit a batter and struck out five in his second straight solid start since making a change in his delivery. Anderson allowed three hits and one unearned run in 6 1/3 innings against the Dodgers Sunday.

Anderson was 1-5 when, taking advice from pitching coach Pete Vuckovich, shifted to the third-base side of the pitching rubber.

“Hey, I was struggling, so you’ll do anything to try and get better,” Anderson said. “When I step across, I step across toward the middle of the plate and it’s easier now for me to work both sides of the plate.”

Montreal 7, Florida 3--Mike Thurman, fresh off the disabled list, pitched six strong innings and Geoff Blum homered and had a career-high four RBIs against the Marlins at Miami.

Thurman (2-1), out since May 25 because of right elbow tendinitis, was activated just hours before allowing the Marlins one run and five hits.