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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) – Todd Zeile gave Glendon Rusch all the run
support he needed.
|  | | Todd Zeile (9) improved on a 5-for-22 homestand with a two-run homer and RBI single in the Mets' win. |
Rusch threw seven shutout innings, and Zeile homered and drove
in three runs to lead the New York Mets to a 4-0 victory over the
Montreal Expos on Tuesday night.
"It's a great boost of confidence when your team puts up some
runs and you're able to hold it," Rusch said. "I was falling
behind a few guys 3-0 and was lucky to bounce back and get them."
Rusch (1-0), who has not allowed a run in 14 innings at home
this season, allowed five hits, walked three and struck out nine – one short of tying his career high.
"He spotted his fastball well and got his other pitches over,"
Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "He got strikeouts and went
seven innings. You can't ask for much more than that."
Rusch threw 122 pitches and was never in any serious trouble as
the Expos didn't get a runner beyond second base against him. Turk
Wendell finished the six-hitter.
In his first start of the season at Montreal, Rusch gave up five
runs in three innings. But he bounced back and held the Expos'
3-4-5 hitters – Fernando Tatis, Vladimir Guerrero and Lee Stevens – to a combined 1-for-11.
"I think I really just mixed my pitches up more than I did last
time," Rusch said. "It also always helps when you can get a
strikeout when you have guys on."
Montreal, which started the season 6-1, has lost three in a row
and six of seven. The Expos left 10 runners on base, and at least
one in every inning except the ninth.
"We're playing well, but we're not scoring a lot of runs,"
Expos manager Felipe Alou said. "We had a couple of opportunities
with two outs, but we just couldn't get anyone past second base. On
a cold night when the ball isn't going anywhere, that's damaging."
New York, which entered last in the NL with a .223 batting
average and 40 runs scored, again showed signs of coming out of its
own offensive slump by scoring four runs for the second straight
night against the Expos.
Zeile, who entered 5-for-22 (.227) with one RBI on the
homestand, went 3-for-4 and provided the bulk of the Mets offense.
The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the third on Zeile's home run, their
first in four games. Rey Ordonez hit a leadoff single off Chris
Peters (1-1) and moved to second on Rusch's sacrifice. After Desi
Relaford struck out, Zeile hit a 2-2 fastball from Peters over the
left-field wall for his first homer of the season.
"It doesn't make much of a difference when your offense is
flourishing, but when you're pressing to get any lead at all it's
nice to get out quickly," said Zeile, who batted second in the
lineup for the second time in three games.
New York added another run in the fifth on Jay Payton's
sacrifice fly. Zeile hit a one-out single, moved to third on Mike
Piazza's long single to right-center field and scored on Payton's
sacrifice fly to right to make it 3-0.
Zeile's RBI single gave the Mets a 4-0 lead in the seventh. Mark
Johnson, pinch hitting for Rusch, hit a leadoff single. Relaford
dragged a bunt down the first-base line for a hit that was fielded
by reliever Scott Strickland, who picked up the ball and threw wide
of first baseman Stevens to allow Johnson to get to third. After
Relaford was caught stealing, Zeile singled to right to drive in
Johnson.
"It's good to finally get Glendon some run support," Zeile
said.
Peters, who allowed one run in five innings in beating the Mets
on April 8 in his other start this season, gave up three runs and
six hits in five innings.
"Sometimes you have to tip your hat to the opposition," Peters
said. "He was tough and he pitched his game."
Game notes
Payton went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice in his third career
game as the Mets cleanup hitter. Relaford started at second and led
off for the first time as a Met. ... Guerrero singled on Turk
Wendell's first pitch in the eighth. It was the first time the
players faced each other since Wendell hit Guerrero with a pitch
and exchanged words in the Mets' 5-2 loss on April 9. ... Tim
Raines' double in the fifth was his 275th with the Expos, moving
him past Gary Carter into third on the team's career list. ...
Nelson Burbrink, the scout who signed Hall of Fame pitcher Tom
Seaver to a contract with the Mets, died April 11 after a long
battle with cancer. He was 79.
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RECAPS
Cleveland 8
Baltimore 1
Detroit 7
Chi. White Sox 4
Toronto 6
NY Yankees 5
Boston 10
Tampa Bay 0
Minnesota 6
Kansas City 5
Oakland 5
Anaheim 1
Seattle 6
Texas 4
Philadelphia 6
Chicago Cubs 3
Cincinnati 3
Milwaukee 2
Houston 0
Pittsburgh 0
NY Mets 4
Montreal 0
Florida 3
Atlanta 2
Arizona 17
St. Louis 4
Colorado 9
San Diego 5
San Francisco 3
Los Angeles 2
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