Leiter, Mets Play Spoiler Against Cubs
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Al Leiter pitched two-hit ball for six innings to earn his first win in six weeks, and the Mets put another dent in Chicago’s playoff hopes yesterday with a 3-2 win over the Cubs.
Chicago began the day a half-game in front of San Francisco in the NL wild-card race after losing 4-3 to the fourth-place Mets in 11 innings Saturday.
The Mets capitalized on a streak of wildness by Cubs starter Kerry Wood (8-8) to score three runs in the first inning. Wood allowed just four singles after the first inning. He struck out seven and walked three in seven innings.
Leadoff batter Jose Reyes walked, stole second, and scored on a single by Kaz Matsui. After a double play, rookies Craig Brazell and Victor Diaz, the heroes of the Mets’ victory Saturday, both singled. Then Eric Valent and Jason Phillips were hit by pitches, forcing in one run, and a bases-loaded walk to Gerald Williams brought in another.
Reyes and Matsui were in the starting lineup together and batting 1-2 for the first time since August 8. Reyes had been on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his leg, Matsui with a lower back strain.
The Cubs got two runs back in the fourth on an RBI double by Nomar Garciaparra and an RBI grounder by Sammy Sosa. Sosa, in a 5-for-41 slump, went 0-for-3 and finished 0-for-12 in the three-game series. He struck out four times and grounded into a double play Saturday, stranding eight runners.
Leiter (10-8) left after 110 pitches and won for the first time since beating Arizona on August 14. He walked five and struck out five.