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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) – Robin Ventura was willing to wait for his pitch.
And he made a lot of noise when he got it.
|  | | The Mets' Dicky Gonzalez, making his big-league debut a day after being called up from Triple A, allowed three runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. |
Ventura hit his 15th career grand slam, the most among active
players, as the New York Mets scored five runs in the seventh to
beat the Houston Astros 7-5 Tuesday night.
After Mike Piazza was intentionally walked, Ventura drove Jay
Powell's 3-2 pitch into the first deck in right field.
"I've seen that before," Ventura said of Astros manager Larry
Dierker's decision to walk Piazza. "That's going to happen from
here forward, too.
"He was trying to keep it down, but it hung a bit. It's
difficult because the guy can't walk you. You have to be patient
and wait until they have to throw strikes."
Ventura, ninth on the overall grand slam list, broke a tie with Ken Griffey Jr. for the lead among active players, and also tied the Mets record of five grand slams.
The third baseman, who returned to the lineup Monday after
missing six games with tightness in his right hamstring, is
49-for-139 (.353) with the bases loaded.
"I don't have an explanation for his success," Mets manager
Bobby Valentine said. "I just enjoy watching it. That's the most
exciting thing around here in a while."
Piazza also homered for the NL champion Mets, who improved to
11-15 with their second straight victory over the Astros after
losing five of the final six games on a nine-game trip.
"We're due at least a month of big hits," Valentine said.
Piazza's two-run shot, a rising liner into the left-field
bleachers estimated at 411 feet, opened the scoring in the third
off former teammate Octavio Dotel. Piazza also hit a long
homer Monday night in the Mets' 8-2 victory.
Tom Martin (1-0) allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings for the
victory, and Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
The closer allowed Jeff Bagwell's seventh homer.
Ventura gave the Mets the lead after they scored a run against
Nelson Cruz (0-1). Pinch-hitter Lenny Harris led off with a triple,
Benny Agbayani walked and Timo Perez made it 4-3 with an RBI
double. After Edgardo Alfonzo struck out, Cruz intentionally walked
Piazza to load the bases.
"Nobody wanted to pitch to Piazza," Dierker said. "Ventura's
a slow runner and I wanted to get a groundball. We tried to prevent
the tying run and ended up giving up the winning run."
Ventura fouled off three consecutive pitches before connecting
on Powell's eighth pitch.
"When he got his pitch, he didn't miss," Powell said. "You've
got to give him credit."
The Astros scored three runs in the fifth and made it 4-2 in the
sixth on Brad Ausmus' solo homer, his first of the season.
Houston has lost three straight and is 4-10 after opening the
season 8-3.
Mets starter Dicky Gonzalez, making his major league debut a day
after being called up from Triple-A Norfolk, allowed three runs and
five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The 22-year-old right-hander ran into trouble in the fifth after
stranding five runners in the first four innings.
Craig Biggio singled in the Astros' first run, and Bagwell
followed with a single that chased Gonzalez. Martin loaded the
bases with a walk to Lance Berkman, and Moises Alou gave Houston a
3-2 lead with a single that deflected off first baseman Todd
Zeile's glove.
Dotel, acquired from New York in the
December 1999 deal that sent Mike Hampton to the Mets, allowed two
runs and five hits in five innings.
Game notes
Piazza's homer was the 4,600th in Mets history. He also
drove in his 900th and 901st career RBI. ... The Mets placed RHP Rick White on the 15-day disabled because of a strained right
rotator cuff, and recalled RHP Jerrod Riggan from Triple-A Norfolk.
On Monday, Riggan was optioned to Norfolk to open a spot for
Gonzalez. ... Astros OF Richard Hidalgo missed his second straight
start because of a right groin pull. He has an 11-game hitting
streak and is hitting .319 with six homers and 22 RBI.
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Baltimore 3
Tampa Bay 1
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NY Yankees 4
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