|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
DENVER (AP) – The New York Mets desperately wanted to re-sign
Mike Hampton in the offseason. On Wednesday night, they were
reminded why.
|  | | Mike Hampton's eighth career shutout came against his ex-teammates. |
Hampton, who left the Mets and signed a $121 million, eight-year
contract with the Colorado Rockies, tormented his former team,
throwing a seven-hit shutout in the Rockies' 6-0 victory.
It was the eighth career shutout for Hampton (5-0), the MVP of
the NLCS last October.
The left-hander, who went 15-10 in helping lead the Mets to the
World Series last year, struck out five, walked three and was
backed by four double plays.
"It was an emotional game," Hampton admitted. "It's tough
facing the team that you went to the World Series with last year.
"I was a little hyped up early, but I was able to make a big
pitch here and there to get me out of a couple of jams. And the
defense picked me up and made some great plays behind me."
Hampton helped his cause with a pair of hits, including an RBI
infield single in the second.
He also hit a two-out single ahead of Todd Walker's three-run
homer off Rick Reed (4-2) in the seventh. Larry Walker had a solo
homer in the sixth, his 12th of the season but first since April
24.
Reed went seven innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs with no
walks and five strikeouts.
Hampton, who pitched for Houston from 1994 to '99, improved to 5-0
over his last eight starts against the Mets, with three shutouts.
He hasn't lost to the Mets since July 14, 1996.
Hampton lowered his earned-run average to 2.34 this season. At Coors Field, he
is 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA.
Asked if Hampton has exceeded the team's expectations, Rockies
manager Buddy Bell said, "We knew he was good. But when you see
him up close, I think you could say that.
"I don't really think he gets rattled by anything. The things
he does, all the really great pitchers do. When they get in a
little bit of a hole, they're able to reach back and really do
something special. He changes speeds so well. He can really get it
done, man. He's fun to watch."
Mets manager Bobby Valentine said Hampton "was in trouble an
awful lot. He sure had the groundball double-play going. He got
four of them."
Reed tore a fingernail just before Walker's three-run homer but
said it didn't affect him.
"No, not at all," he said. "It was just a curveball that
didn't break. He hit it out. What can you do?
"We ran into a guy who threw nothing but zeros. You've got to
tip your hat to him."
Todd Walker and Larry Walker singled in the first. First baseman
Todd Zeile made a diving stop of Todd Helton's hard grounder down
the line, robbing Helton of extra bases and making the putout, but
Todd Walker scored.
Todd Hollandsworth led off the second with a single, stole
second and went to third on a groundout. He scored when Hampton
beat out an infield single. Hampton's grounder took a weird hop
over Zeile and went to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo, and Hampton
beat Reed to the bag.
Hampton worked out of jams in the first, second and fourth
innings. In the first, the Mets had two runners on with one out,
but second baseman Todd Walker made a diving stop behind second
base, flipping to shortstop Neifi Perez for an inning-ending double
play.
In the second and fourth, the Mets got their first two runners
aboard, but Hampton retired the next three batters each time.
Reed drew a four-pitch walk to open the fifth, but he was
quickly erased when Benny Agbayani grounded into a double play.
Zeile singled with one out in the sixth, but Hampton induced
Robin Ventura to ground into another double play. Agbayani had a
one-out double in the eighth, but Hampton then retired Alfonzo and
Mike Piazza on groundouts.
Game notes
Reed did not walk a batter in his seven-inning stint and
now has walked just one batter in 52 2/3 innings this season. ...
Mets LHP Al Leiter, who had a 12-minute bullpen session on Tuesday,
said Wednesday he feels good and plans to throw batting practice on
Friday. Leiter is still on the disabled list with a strained
pitching elbow. ... Mets Reliever Rick White, on the DL for a
second time this season (strained rotator cuff), threw for eight
minutes Tuesday on a flat surface and will throw off a mound on
Friday. ... Colorado's John Wasdin and Ron Villone are the most
likely candidates to start Saturday against Montreal, even though
both are pitching well in relief and manager Buddy Bell wants to
keep his bullpen intact. ... Jeff Cirillo took extended early
batting practice Wednesday under the watchful eye of GM Dan O'Dowd
and hitting coach Clint Hurdle. Cirillo (rib muscle) is eligible to
come off the 15-day DL on Saturday.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
| |
OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Mets Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 10
Boston 5
Cleveland 5
Kansas City 1
Detroit 3
Texas 2
NY Yankees 2
Minnesota 0
Oakland 8
Toronto 5
Baltimore 8
Tampa Bay 6
Chi. White Sox 6
Anaheim 5
Houston 7
Philadelphia 6
Chicago Cubs 6
Milwaukee 3
St. Louis 6
Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 6
NY Mets 0
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 2
Atlanta 3
San Diego 0
Los Angeles 3
Florida 2
Montreal 8
San Francisco 0
|
