CINCINNATI (AP) -- If Joe Randa keeps this up, they won't just

recognize him on Cincinnati's streets. They'll name one after him.

The Reds' anonymous newcomer kept the drama coming Wednesday,

hitting a bases-loaded single and a grand slam that set up a 9-5

victory over the New York Mets and had the fans chanting his name.

"That's special," said Randa, who has never hit more than 16

homers in a season. "Being a new guy, I'm just trying to make a

name for myself. You don't expect to do it by hitting two home

runs. It's been special."

The Mets aren't going to forget him anytime soon.

Randa hit the Reds' first game-ending homer in an opening day

game on Monday, a solo shot off Braden Looper for a 7-6 win. The

fan who got the ball donated it to the team's Hall of Fame.

Fame was a little slower to catch up with Randa, who came over

from Kansas City as a free agent and marveled that he could still

walk the streets without being recognized after his dramatic homer.

Judging from the reaction of 22,301 fans, that's about to

change.

They demanded a curtain call and chanted his name after Randa's

second career slam off Mike DeJean put the Reds up 9-3 in the

eighth. He also had a bases-loaded single in the first off Tom

Glavine that got things rolling.

"He's a solid hitter, but I don't think you expect him to hit

two homers and have all the RBI he has," said Glavine, who lasted

only 3 2-3 innings. "He's not a guy you look at and equate a lot

of power with."

The Reds won the first two games of the series by getting past

three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez and two-time winner

Glavine -- a feat the Mets certainly didn't expect.

First-year manager Willie Randolph had a large cigar waiting on

his desk before Wednesday's game, a gift from Mike Piazza in

anticipation of his first win. Randolph picked it up and briefly

stuck it between his lips without lighting up.

"I'm going to use it tonight for sure," Randolph said, laying

it back on his desk. "Hopefully I'll light it up later. That would

be nice."

Again, no cigar. It rested in the same spot on his desk after

the game, untouched. Randolph sounded unfazed.

"Some of the tougher losses are the ones that are really

close," Randolph said. "I think the opening day loss was

tougher."

Glavine is 25-12 against the Reds, his second-highest victory

total against any team. Control problems and two borderline calls

led to his rare Cincinnati meltdown.

The left-hander threw 37 pitches in the first, helping the Reds

load the bases with two outs. He got ahead of Randa 0-2 in the

count, then jerked his head in disappointment when plate umpire

Chuck Meriwether called the next pitch just off the inside corner.

Glavine had started walking off the field, thinking it was strike

three.

"I think we all did after that one, including Joe," Glavine

said. "You get in the position where you've got to make another

pitch. I needed to follow up with another good pitch, and didn't."

Given a reprieve, Randa singled to left on the next pitch for a

2-0 lead.

The Reds loaded the bases with two outs again in the fourth.

Glavine went 0-2 on Griffey, then threw a pitch that Meriwether --

who worked his first World Series last year -- decided was just

outside. Again, Glavine dropped his head in disappointment.

And once again, he gave up a hit on the next pitch. Griffey

singled to right for two more runs, part of his three-hit game.

Sean Casey then singled up the middle for a 5-2 lead.

Randa's slam in the eighth left him with a career-high six RBI,

drew a curtain call and polished it off. He also made two

hit-stealing plays in the third. He dived to his left to snag Kazuo

Matsui's liner, then made a backhand catch on Carlos Beltran's

sinking liner.

Left-hander Eric Milton got the win in his Cincinnati debut,

going 5 2-3 innings in a typical performance. Doug Mientkiewicz and

David Wright homered off Milton, who gave up an NL-leading 43 of

them last season in Philadelphia.Game notes
The umpires ruled that Randolph made a double-switch

improperly in the eighth inning. As a result, DeJean had to stay in

the ninth spot, forcing the Mets to use a pinch-hitter for him in

the ninth. "The double switch didn't have anything to do with the

game," said Randolph, who thought he had followed the rules. ...

Glavine has 27 wins against Montreal, his highest total. ... Mets

RF Mike Cameron is expected to miss the series. He had a cortisone

shot Saturday for tendinitis in the left wrist, which is still

bothering him. ... RH Ramon Ortiz threw without a problem on the

Reds' off-day and is expected to make his scheduled start Friday in

Houston. Ortiz strained his groin during a spring training game

March 23.