Mets’ Glavine beats Cubs for 300th win

CHICAGO -- When Tom Glavine stepped off the mound Sunday night at Wrigley Field, he had finally climbed baseball’s version of Mt. Everest. It took nearly two decades and a white-knuckle ride to the finish line. But Glavine ultimately proved himself worthy of the prize by claiming victory No. 300 with the New York Mets’ 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Glavine (10-6) pushed into the seventh inning on a sweltering night in the Windy City and threw 102 pitches to stubbornly protect a 5-1 lead. When the Cubs’ Angel Pagan doubled with one out, Manager Willie Randolph emerged and the sellout crowd of 41,599 rose to its feet.

Randolph high-fived his pitcher, David Wright clapped and Glavine spun around, pointing to a few of his teammates before heading to the dugout. When it was over -- five relievers later -- Glavine hugged every one of the Mets as they walked off the field and closer Billy Wagner handed him the baseball.

By then, hundreds of Mets fans had clustered behind the dugout, chanting “Tom-my Gla-vine” as his wife, Christine, and about 30 family members and friends waited for him. Glavine, red-faced and still wearing his Mets warmup jacket, wore a permanent grin. He gave up six hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings and won on the road for the first time since May 8.

Glavine, 41, became the 23rd pitcher to win 300 games and the first since Greg Maddux, his former Atlanta Braves teammate who accomplished the feat in 2004. Glavine (300-197) is the fifth left-hander to reach the milestone and the first to do so in a Mets uniform. Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver did it after leaving the Mets.

“I think the feeling right now is probably relief,” said Glavine, who was seated at a makeshift podium with a giant 300 banner draped behind him in the bowels of the 93-year-old ballpark. “I think leading up to this thing, there was a lot of emotion in it. Now that it’s over, it’s a feeling of accomplishment and relief.”

This was a milestone that touched all of the Mets. Afterward, there were plastic champagne glasses scattered throughout their clubhouse.

Wagner’s hands were still shaking as he tried to write a check at his locker. It wasn’t a save situation, but with the stadium filled with Glavine chants, Wagner had trouble handling the adrenaline rush.

“We think so much of Tommy,” Wagner said. “You could see it tonight. Guys made some great plays. Everyone turned it up a notch.”

Carlos Delgado had two doubles, four runs batted in and made an outstanding leaping catch of Mike Fontenot’s line drive in the sixth inning.

“It was an awesome feeling,” said Paul Lo Duca, who started behind the plate after arguing with Randolph to let him play. “It felt like a playoff atmosphere all game. To go out there the way he did, he showed what kind of pitcher he is, what kind of pitcher he still is.”

Glavine even helped himself with the bat, putting the Mets in front to stay with a run-scoring single in the second inning.

“Tommy has always been a leader in that way,” Randolph said. “He’s the guy that sets the tone.”

Said pitching coach Rick Peterson: “He’s a Hall of Fame person that’s going to be a Hall of Fame pitcher.”

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High marks

Members of the 300-win club, with active players shaded.

*--* 1. Cy Young 511 2. Walter Johnson 417 3. Grover Cleveland Alexander 373 3. Christy Mathewson 373 5. Pud Galvin 365 6. Warren Spahn 363 7. Kid Nichols 361 8. Roger Clemens 351 9. Tim Keefe 342 10. Greg Maddux 340 11. Steve Carlton 329 12. John Clarkson 328 13. Eddie Plank 326 14. Nolan Ryan 324 14. Don Sutton 324 16. Phil Niekro 318 17. Gaylord Perry 314 18. Tom Seaver 311 19. Hoss Radbourn 309 20. Mickey Welch 307 21. Tom Glavine 300 21. Lefty Grove 300 21. Early Wynn 300 *--*

Source: MLB.com