Mets 3, Pirates 1

In his last start, Tom Glavine went out and pitched six shutout innings and wound up with nothing ot show for it thanks to the crapshoot that is the New York Mets' bullpen. The Mets signed him to be their ace and, aside from a poor start on Opening Day, he's pitched well enough to be worthy of the title. Unfortunately, he's not going out there and tossing complete games every five days, so his fate will continue to rest in the hands of the bullpen as long as the Mets' offensive woes continue. Tonight he went 6 1/3 innings on 101 pitches, giving up just one run on three hits and three walks while striking out five. His ERA for the season is now 2.91, thanks to it being just 1.00 over his last three starts. Jaime Cerda pitched two-thirds of an inning, surrendering just a walk, before the "big guns" came in to make things interesting. Scott Strickland came in in the eighth and allowed a walk and a hit before retiring the side. And then it was time for He Who Is Called "Closer." He of the three blown saves. He of the sensetive temperment. Armando Benitez came into the game in the ninth and started off the inning by walking the first batter, Rob Mackowiak. He then struck out Abraham Nunez for the first out. Matt Stairs came up to pinch hit and Benitez got him to two strikes before he lined a single to right field, putting Mackowiak on second. Kenny Lofton came up and grounded to first and pinch-running pitcher Kip Wells was the second out at second base, but Lofton was safe at first, Mackowiak safe at third. Jason Kendall came to the plate and the stage was set for a game-winning three-run home run. Except somebody forgot to tell Kendall, because he somehow managed to ground the ball to Rey Sanchez at short, and unlike yesterday, Sanchez was able to end the inning by tossing to Roberto Alomar at second for the third and final out of the inning. Armando Benitez, 6.48 ERA and all, had his fourth save of the season and Glavine his second win. The losing streak was over and the Mets had faced the toughest pitcher the Pirates were likely to throw at them and emerged victorious.

The Mets' offense, being the Mets' offense, didn't exactly pound starter Josh Fogg, but the three runs they put up, on only six hits and one walk, proved enough for Glavine and the 'pen this time. Ty Wigginton failed to get a hit in four at bats, but was robbed of one early on a diving grab of a line drive by Nunez. Things actually evened out for the Mets later, though, as Wigginton reached on an error by Nunez in the fifth, allowing him to score when Jeromy Burnitz, on his 34th birthday, launched his second home run of the year. Roberto Alomar reached on an infield single in the sixth and stole second. Cliff Floyd provided the third and final Met run by driving him in with a double.

Roger Cedeno went one for four while playing some unique but effective defense. Tsuyoshi Shinjo came in in the eighth as a defense replacement, but once again it was for Floyd, not Cedeno.

Tomorrow, the 5-9 Mets try to continue their winning ways, sending David Cone, who looks to rebound from his tough outing in Puerto Rico, to the mound against Jeff Suppan, who is off to a good start this year, with a record of 2-0 and a 1.35 ERA.  ¶ joe | 11:02 PM |