Benitez Can’t Save Mets Again as Marlins Rally

The New York Mets fans are already growing tired of closer Armando Benitez.

Benitez blew his fourth save chance, giving up two runs in the ninth inning of the Mets’ 6-5 loss to the Florida Marlins on Saturday at New York.

“I don’t have to worry about this; I know what I can do,” said Benitez, who was booed from the mound to the dugout after the inning. “I don’t worry about a blown save. [Pitchers are] human. We’re not machines.”

Luis Castillo hit a game-tying RBI single and Ivan Rodriguez beat out a potential double-play grounder to drive in the go-ahead run as the Marlins rallied for the victory.

Benitez (0-3) matched his blown save total from all of last season in the first month of the year for the last-place Mets. He has blown four of nine opportunities this year after converting 33 of 37 in 2002.

“It’s only April,” Benitez said. “Come back and talk to me in five months.”

Montreal 8-9, Cincinnati 7-5 -- Vladimir Guerrero homered and drove in five runs and Javier Vasquez (2-1) struck out 11 as the Expos completed a sweep of the day-night doubleheader at San Juan, Puerto Rico, and extended the Reds’ losing streak to five.

Brian Schneider homered twice in the opener, including a leadoff shot in the 10th off Scott Williamson (2-1).

Austin Kearns was Cincinnati’s lone bright spot, homering in both games to give him a major league-leading eight.

Arizona 4, St. Louis 3 -- Byung-Hyun Kim (1-3) won his first game as a starter and Luis Gonzalez hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth off Jason Simontacchi (0-1) at St. Louis.

Kim, a converted closer who had a team-record 36 saves last year, gave up three runs and five hits in a career-high seven innings.

Matt Mantei got six outs for his first save since April 16, 2001, at St. Louis.

Milwaukee 3, Houston 2 -- Pitcher Glendon Rusch, pinch-hitting because the Brewers ran out of hitters on the bench, blooped a bunt off Scott Linebrink (0-1) for a game-winning single in the 14th inning at Milwaukee.

Houston starter Wade Miller, 10-1 against the Brewers, gave up five hits in seven shutout innings.

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 0 -- Vicente Padilla (3-1) pitched a four-hitter at Atlanta for his second career shutout, stopping the Braves’ five-game winning streak.

Mike Hampton, in his Atlanta debut, gave up four runs, six hits and four walks -- one intentional -- in five innings. Hampton, who had been on the disabled list because of an injured calf, also threw two wild pitches that led to runs.

Colorado 10, San Diego 9 -- Ronnie Belliard drove in the winning run with a squeeze bunt that capped a three-run, ninth-inning rally at Denver off Brandon Villafuerte (0-2), who also gave up an RBI grounder to Bobby Estalella and a tying single to Chris Stynes.

Ryan Klesko homered twice and had five RBIs for San Diego, which overcame a 7-0 deficit to take a 9-7 lead only to lose its fourth in a row.

Chicago 6, Pittsburgh 1 -- Former Dodger Mark Grudzielanek singled home the go-ahead run in a five-run 10th inning at Pittsburgh to lead the Cubs to their fifth victory in a row.

Chicago broke it open in the 10th against Scott Sauerbeck (0-1) and Mike Williams on one-out RBI singles by Grudzielanek and Alex Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa’s two-run single.

Ramon Martinez had a sacrifice fly.