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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MONTREAL (AP) -- Tsuyoshi Shinjo is getting over his culture
shock.
|  | | Al Leiter (2-3) struck out five Expos during his six innings of work. |
Shinjo hit a two-run homer and Al Leiter won his second straight
start since coming off the disabled list to lead the Mets over the
Montreal Expos 4-2 Wednesday night.
"I tried to get the rhythm, which I used to have in Japan,"
Shinjo said through an interpreter. "It's now about getting used
to the American way. Somebody has to be the key player in every
game. I did it the last three times, so I'm very happy."
Shinjo, who also had the game-winning hits in the Mets' previous
two wins, homered in the sixth off Chris Peters (2-4) to put New York ahead 3-2.
"I'm very happy that I contributed to the team's win tonight,"
Shinjo said. "Today, I did something for the win and tomorrow
maybe a different guy will contribute. I'm part of a team so I'm
happy about that."
Leiter (2-3), who beat Kevin Brown and Los Angeles last Friday
allowed six hits and two runs -- on Ryan Minor's RBI double in the second and Lee Stevens' homer in the fourth.
"I got to a different level after Stevens hit the home run,
which kind of ticked me off a little bit," Leiter said. "I
elevated my aggressiveness and concentration and I felt like I
threw the ball better after that."
Leiter lost his first three decisions before going on the disabled list April 21 because of a strained left elbow.
"My way of pitching is very intense," Leiter said. "It may
look like I'm a little out of control at times but I believe I need
to be very aggressive to compete and do the best I can."
Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his seventh save in as
many opportunities.
New York had lost four straight series before taking two of
three against the Expos. It was the Mets' first series win since
Apr. 30-May 2, when they won two of three against Houston.
Montreal fell to 19-28, one half-game behind New York in the NL East cellar.
Expos starter Mike Thurman left after he was hit on the right
thumb while swinging at the first pitch to him from Leiter in the
second.
"It hit the top of the thumb dead-on and just peeled the
fingernail back a little bit," Thurman said. "It's not very
pretty to look at, but it's not as painful as it looks."
Thurman has just one hit in 17 at-bats (.059) this season and is
a career .038 (4-for-106) hitter.
"I don't really know what I was doing," Thurman said. "I was
swinging, I guess. I have a tendency to close my eyes when I swing
the bat. It just hit me in the hands."
Masato Yoshii relieved Thurman in the third and allowed Edgardo
Alfonzo's eighth homer, tying it at 1. Stevens homered in the
fourth for a 2-1 lead.
Ventura singled in the seventh off Graeme Lloyd to drive in New
York's fourth run.
Game notes
Bobby Valentine is two wins short of his 400th as the Mets' manager. Valentine, who has 979 career managerial wins, is second
in Mets' history to Davey Johnson, who won 595 games while managing
New York from 1984-90. ... Shinjo hit a game-winning RBI single in
the bottom of the ninth on Sunday and followed up with a three-run
double in the sixth against Montreal on Monday. ... Thurman, who
will have X-rays on his thumb Thursday, allowed two hits, walked
one and struck out three while holding the Mets scoreless in the
first two innings. He threw 45 pitches.
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RECAPS
Seattle 5
Minnesota 4
Baltimore 12
Anaheim 5
Cleveland 4
Detroit 3
NY Yankees 7
Boston 3
Toronto 9
Chi. White Sox 6
Tampa Bay 10
Texas 6
Kansas City 4
Oakland 1
Chicago Cubs 4
Cincinnati 2
Los Angeles 6
Colorado 4
San Diego 7
Houston 6
Philadelphia 4
Pittsburgh 0
Philadelphia 5
Pittsburgh 2
(2nd game)
Atlanta 0
Florida 0
NY Mets 4
Montreal 2
Milwaukee 7
St. Louis 3
San Francisco 5
Arizona 1
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