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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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| Burnett |
MIAMI (AP) -- Florida's A.J. Burnett tries not to look too far
into the future. No more than five days, his next start, to be
exact.
Any crystal-ball expectations might be too much for the
24-year-old right-hander.
Burnett allowed four hits in 8 2/3 shutout innings Sunday, and
Preston Wilson had an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth as the
Marlins beat the New York Mets 1-0 to split the four-game series.
Burnett also extended his scoreless streak to 16 2/3 innings.
"He looks like he's 30 years old out there," Marlins manager
Tony Perez said. "He looks like he's been around. ... It's
amazing. He's still a kid. He's not even on the big level yet; he's
still going up."
Throwing in the mid-90s all game, Burnett kept the Mets off
balance. He struck out five and walked one in his sixth start of
the season. In five of the six outings, he has given up one or
fewer runs, including a no-hitter May 12 at San Diego.
"I feel like I know more now," said Burnett, who began the
season on the disabled list with a broken right foot. "I can feel
my way through outings. I'm making good pitches and I'm getting
outs.
"I was in a zone today. I was locked in all game. It was just
me and (catcher) Mike (Redmond) and that's all I saw."
Burnett lowered his team-best ERA from 2.16 to 1.71. His only
rough start came May 24 against the Mets. He allowed seven hits and
seven runs in four innings.
He bounced back against Pittsburgh last week, throwing eight
scoreless innings before shutting down New York on Sunday.
"The kid had good stuff against us today," Mets manager Bobby
Valentine said. "He got the outs when he needed them."
Burnett retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, then worked
out of a sixth-inning jam. He had one out in the ninth before Desi
Relaford singled and stole second base.
With two outs, Burnett intentionally walked Robin Ventura before
giving way to Antonio Alfonseca (3-2), who got Todd Zeile to ground
out to end the threat.
With one out in the bottom half, Luis Castillo's grounder tipped
off Zeile's glove, skipped past Relaford and into right field for a
double. Turk Wendell (1-2) walked Eric Owens, then gave way to John
Franco.
Franco got the second out. But Wilson followed with a groundball
up the middle that tipped off Franco's glove, and shortstop Joe
McEwing had no play on the redirected hit.
"It's better to be lucky sometimes," Wilson said.
Kevin Appier allowed two hits in seven shutout innings for New
York. He retired the last 10 batters he faced, six with strikeouts,
before Lenny Harris pinch-hit for him in the seventh. Appier stuck
out eight and walked one.
He made some of his best pitches in the middle innings, striking
out six of nine hitters in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
"Appier couldn't pitch any better," Valentine said. "They
scored, and we didn't."
McEwing began the sixth with a single off Burnett and might have
scored had Appier been able to successfully sacrifice.
But Appier failed to get a bunt down and struck out. McEwing
moved to second on Timo Perez's single and to third on a fielder's
choice. But he was stranded when Mike Piazza grounded out to end
the inning.
"We should have won that game," Zeile said. "We had better
chances to score. It's very frustrating."
Game notes
In his last three starts, Appier has 25 strikeouts and just
three walks but has one win and two no-decisions. ... Floyd went
0-for-4, snapping his career-best hitting streak at 10 games. ...
Mets SS Rey Ordonez was scratched from the starting lineup with a
sore right shoulder.
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RECAPS
Cleveland 4
NY Yankees 3
Boston 5
Toronto 4
Chi. White Sox 9
Detroit 6
Minnesota 6
Texas 3
Anaheim 7
Kansas City 2
Oakland 5
Baltimore 1
Seattle 8
Tampa Bay 4
Montreal 10
Philadelphia 3
Atlanta 11
Pittsburgh 7
Atlanta 8
Pittsburgh 3
(2nd game)
Milwaukee 4
Chicago Cubs 2
Los Angeles 9
Houston 8
Colorado 11
San Francisco 2
Florida 1
NY Mets 0
Arizona 8
San Diego 4
St. Louis 4
Cincinnati 3
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