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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) – Shut out for 19 straight innings, the New York
Mets needed a hitting hero. And they found one – Rey Ordonez, of
all people.
|  | | Tsuyoshi Shinjo lays down a sacrifice bunt in the 10th inning, moving Todd Zeile, who would eventually score the winning run, into scoring position. |
Ordonez lined an RBI single with one out in the bottom of the
10th inning, breaking up a tense duel and lifting the Mets over the
Atlanta Braves 1-0 Thursday night.
"Sometimes, they put in a pinch-hitter for me," Ordonez said.
"Now, I got an opportunity."
Asked the last time he'd been mobbed after a game-winning hit,
Ordonez smiled.
"I don't remember," he said.
Glendon Rusch of the Mets and John Burkett of the Braves matched
zeros for seven innings, then the bullpens took over.
And after the Braves blew a great chance in the top of the 10th
set up by reliever Armando Benitez's wild pitch during an
intentional walk, the Mets won it.
Todd Zeile drew a leadoff walk on four pitches from Kerry
Ligtenberg (0-2) and Tsuyoshi Shinjo sacrificed.
Mets manager Bobby Valentine, frustrated in the past by
Ordonez's problems at the plate, spoke to his No. 8 hitter as he
gave Shinjo the bunt sign.
"I told him, `You're going to be the guy, Rey,"' Valentine
said.
Said Ordonez: "It made me more comfortable."
Atlanta challenged Ordonez, and he lined a drive down the
left-field line on the first pitch.
The hit made him 5-for-8 this season with runners in scoring
position – he stranded Zeile at third base with two outs in the
seventh.
Overall, a surprising showing for Ordonez, considering the Gold
Glove shortstop batted only .188 last year before a broken left
hand finished him in late May.
New York took a 4-2 edge over the Braves – its biggest nemesis –
less than two weeks into the season. The NL East rivals, who play
19 times this year, do not meet again until June 22.
"I think it might have been more important than any usual six
games in April," Zeile said. "Maybe somewhere in the back of our
minds or deep in our psyche, we might reflect on this in
September."
The Mets won a day after managing to get only one runner against
Greg Maddux and the Braves' bullpen in a 2-0 loss.
"They finally got the big hit," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox
said.
The Braves lost a 1-0 game for the first time since Oct. 2,
1999, in 10 innings against Florida, according to the Elias Sports
Bureau. The Mets were 3-2 in 1-0 games last year.
Atlanta came close in the 10th when Benitez (1-0) suddenly
sailed a wild pitch to the backstop while issuing an intentional
walk to Chipper Jones.
"It just slipped," Benitez said. "I'll have to practice that
tomorrow."
Rafael Furcal scooted to third with one out, yet was stranded
when Brian Jordan hit a shallow fly ball and Javy Lopez grounded
out.
Atlanta also had two on and none out against Benitez in the
ninth, but could not advance the runners.
Rusch allowed three hits and Burkett gave up five.
"It's just unfortunate that we couldn't scrape out a run before
they did," Burkett said.
Until the 10th, the Mets' best opportunity to score came in the
second inning after Mike Piazza led off with a double.
Piazza moved to third on a grounder, then took off for home on
Zeile's grounder down the line. Rookie first baseman Wes Helms, in
only his second major league start at the position, grabbed the
ball, neatly spun and made a strong throw to Lopez in time to nail
Piazza.
Atlanta put Rusch in trouble right away, loading the bases in
the opening inning on a single, walk and hit batter.
Helms hit a long fly ball that hung up in the cool, damp air,
and Shinjo caught it in the right-center field gap. As is his
style, the Japanese outfielder took a little hop step before making
the play – he says he does it to help steady his eyes when
following fly balls.
Rusch, 0-2 with a 12.15 ERA in two previous starts against
Atlanta, did not allow another hit until the sixth.
Rusch walked two and struck out five. Burkett, 3-0 against the
Mets last year, walked none and struck out four.
Game notes
Burkett has not pitched a complete game in 94 starts since
July 1997. ... Braves pitchers had retired 36 of the previous 37
Mets batters before Piazza doubled. ... The Mets made their first
error on a batted ball this season when Ordonez threw away B.J.
Surhoff's grounder to shortstop. New York's only misplay in its
first eight games came on pitcher Steve Trachsel's wild pickoff
throw. ... Mets RHP Rick Croushore pitched two scoreless innings
and struck out four in a Florida State League game. It was his
second rehab appearance.
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RECAPS
Seattle 7
Oakland 3
Boston 8
Baltimore 2
Cleveland 5
Detroit 3
Kansas City 0
Toronto 0
Anaheim 13
Texas 3
Colorado 6
St. Louis 4
Milwaukee 12
Houston 4
San Diego 8
San Francisco 3
Cincinnati 11
Pittsburgh 6
NY Mets 1
Atlanta 0
Los Angeles 5
Arizona 4
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