Zito Outduels Glavine as Giants Blank Mets

Barry Zito outpitched Tom Glavine over seven sharp innings and the San Francisco Giants beat the Mets 3–0 last night to snap a four-game losing streak.

Pedro Feliz drove in three runs and Rich Aurilia tied a career high with four hits for the Giants, who bounced back from a difficult loss in the series opener against New York. The Mets won 5–4 in 12 innings Tuesday night when Armando Benitez balked in the tying run and surrendered a game-ending homer to Carlos Delgado.

Paul Lo Duca had two hits for New York, which had won four straight. Glavine went seven innings but was denied in his second attempt at career win No. 296.

Lo Duca led off the seventh with a double for his 1,000th career hit but Zito retired the next three batters, striking out pinch-hitter Julio Franco to end the inning.

Zito (5-5) turned in his second consecutive strong outing after struggling in back-to-back starts earlier this month. He gave up 13 runs and 12 hits in 10 innings in outings at Colorado and Oakland, then allowed one run in seven innings in a win over Houston in his last start.

He struck out a season-high seven against the Mets, holding them to six hits and one walk. Jack Taschner tossed a perfect eighth and Brad Hennessey got three outs for his second save.

Barry Bonds returned to the lineup for the Giants, went 1-for-3 with a walk and remains 10 shy of breaking Hank Aaron's career record of 755 homers. He was booed lustily each time he came to the plate.

Bonds entered with a .329 batting average and four homers in 100 career plate appearances against Glavine, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He hit a twoout single to center against him in the first inning to put runners on first and second. After Bengie Molina walked, Feliz grounded a two-run single into left field.

Bonds bounced into a double play in the third before Molina singled to right to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Feliz then tripled off the wall in right-center to make it 3–0.

Glavine (5–3) intentionally walked Bonds in the fifth and got him to groundout to first to end the seventh on his 122nd and final pitch of the game. He allowed nine hits, walked two and struck out four.

Mets reliever Guillermo Mota was activated after serving the 50th and final day of his suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. He relieved Glavine to start the eighth and received a mixed reaction of boos and cheers from the home crowd.