Baseball Guru
05-13-2003, 09:15 AM
By JOHN MARSHALL, AP Sports Writer
May 13, 2003
DENVER (AP) -- Steve Trachsel has pitched well enough to win most of his starts this season. It still took a while to earn a victory.
Cliff Floyd homered and drove in four runs, and Trachsel won for the first time in eight starts as the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 9-6 Monday night.
``I've just pretty much been happy with giving us a chance to win and it's nice to see it finally pay off,'' Trachsel said.
Trachsel (1-2) lasted at least five innings and allowed no more than five runs in his seven previous starts this season, but the Mets won just once.
He allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings this time, giving up just one run in the second after the Rockies loaded the bases with one out.
It was only the third time Trachsel allowed more than three runs this season, but it proved to be more than enough at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
``He had to wait over a month to get his first win,'' Mets manager Art Howe said. ``It certainly didn't show how well he's pitched for us. He's deserved two or three wins before this one.''
Armando Benitez got his 12th save in 16 chances. He has converted seven tries in a row after blowing four of his first nine opportunities.
The Mets got key hits throughout the lineup to win their third straight for just the second time this season.
Roberto Alomar hit his second homer of the year, and Mike Piazza had three hits after taking grounders at first base before the game for the first time.
Ty Wigginton added a three-run triple and Floyd finished with three hits, including two doubles and his sixth homer, to give New York its sixth win in 17 road games.
``The guys really put together some good at-bats for us tonight,'' Howe said.
Colorado matched New York with 11 hits, three by Preston Wilson, but couldn't come back from two four-run innings by the Mets.
The Rockies cut the lead to 9-6 with two runs in the seventh, but Todd Helton hit into a double play to end the eighth and Benitez pitched a perfect ninth to hand Colorado its fifth loss in 17 home games.
``We are in the position we are in right now because we haven't gotten the innings from the starters,'' said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, whose team has lost 14 of 19 overall after opening the season 12-7.
``You can count the times we have gotten into the seventh inning in the last 11 or 12 starts on one finger. It makes it difficult.''
Jason Young (0-1) looked as if he was going to buck the trend in his major league debut, but ended up no better than the others.
The 23-year-old right-hander battled nerves during warmups before settling down to strike out five over the first three innings. The strong start ended in the fifth, when he gave up four runs on two homers.
``It started to hit me when I was warming up, but I told myself I had to get to business,'' said Young, who shook off a line drive off his right hip in the second inning. ``There is only one first time and it was incredible. It would have been nice to come away with a win for this team.''
Floyd knocked in the first run with a line-drive double in the first inning that froze left fielder Jay Payton, and added another double to the gap in right-center in the third.
Young left a changeup up in the strike zone in fifth that Floyd lined just over the wall in right for a three-run homer.
``When I'm hitting the ball like this, things seem to start progressing,'' Floyd said.
Wilson extended his torrid streak that started during Colorado's nine-game road trip that ended Sunday.
He singled and scored on Chris Stynes' sacrifice fly in the first inning, then hit Trachsel's first pitch of the fourth out to left for his 10th homer of the season. Wilson also doubled in a run in the fifth to cut New York's lead to 5-4.
He is 9-for-17 the past four games and has five homers and 14 RBIs in 10 contests.
``It definitely feels better when you win,'' Wilson said. ``It's better when you come in here happy, music playing and everybody's shaking hands.''
Alomar homered leading off the fifth, but it was hard to tell by his reaction. He threw his bat down in apparent disgust after lifting a fly ball to right, but quickly went into a home run trot after the ball bounced off the topof the wall and into the bleachers.
Notes
Mets 1B Jay Bell had to leave after the top of the first inning after straining his right groin while dodging a pitch by Young. Howe said Bell will be evaluated Tuesday. ... Colorado plays 13 of its next 16 games at home. ... New York beat Houston twice and Arizona once from April 23-25 for its only other three-game winning streak this season. ... Wilson is the only Rockies player with a homer in the past 13 games. ... Colorado's Todd Helton was2-for-5 after going 8-for-31 the previous nine games.
May 13, 2003
DENVER (AP) -- Steve Trachsel has pitched well enough to win most of his starts this season. It still took a while to earn a victory.
Cliff Floyd homered and drove in four runs, and Trachsel won for the first time in eight starts as the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 9-6 Monday night.
``I've just pretty much been happy with giving us a chance to win and it's nice to see it finally pay off,'' Trachsel said.
Trachsel (1-2) lasted at least five innings and allowed no more than five runs in his seven previous starts this season, but the Mets won just once.
He allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings this time, giving up just one run in the second after the Rockies loaded the bases with one out.
It was only the third time Trachsel allowed more than three runs this season, but it proved to be more than enough at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
``He had to wait over a month to get his first win,'' Mets manager Art Howe said. ``It certainly didn't show how well he's pitched for us. He's deserved two or three wins before this one.''
Armando Benitez got his 12th save in 16 chances. He has converted seven tries in a row after blowing four of his first nine opportunities.
The Mets got key hits throughout the lineup to win their third straight for just the second time this season.
Roberto Alomar hit his second homer of the year, and Mike Piazza had three hits after taking grounders at first base before the game for the first time.
Ty Wigginton added a three-run triple and Floyd finished with three hits, including two doubles and his sixth homer, to give New York its sixth win in 17 road games.
``The guys really put together some good at-bats for us tonight,'' Howe said.
Colorado matched New York with 11 hits, three by Preston Wilson, but couldn't come back from two four-run innings by the Mets.
The Rockies cut the lead to 9-6 with two runs in the seventh, but Todd Helton hit into a double play to end the eighth and Benitez pitched a perfect ninth to hand Colorado its fifth loss in 17 home games.
``We are in the position we are in right now because we haven't gotten the innings from the starters,'' said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, whose team has lost 14 of 19 overall after opening the season 12-7.
``You can count the times we have gotten into the seventh inning in the last 11 or 12 starts on one finger. It makes it difficult.''
Jason Young (0-1) looked as if he was going to buck the trend in his major league debut, but ended up no better than the others.
The 23-year-old right-hander battled nerves during warmups before settling down to strike out five over the first three innings. The strong start ended in the fifth, when he gave up four runs on two homers.
``It started to hit me when I was warming up, but I told myself I had to get to business,'' said Young, who shook off a line drive off his right hip in the second inning. ``There is only one first time and it was incredible. It would have been nice to come away with a win for this team.''
Floyd knocked in the first run with a line-drive double in the first inning that froze left fielder Jay Payton, and added another double to the gap in right-center in the third.
Young left a changeup up in the strike zone in fifth that Floyd lined just over the wall in right for a three-run homer.
``When I'm hitting the ball like this, things seem to start progressing,'' Floyd said.
Wilson extended his torrid streak that started during Colorado's nine-game road trip that ended Sunday.
He singled and scored on Chris Stynes' sacrifice fly in the first inning, then hit Trachsel's first pitch of the fourth out to left for his 10th homer of the season. Wilson also doubled in a run in the fifth to cut New York's lead to 5-4.
He is 9-for-17 the past four games and has five homers and 14 RBIs in 10 contests.
``It definitely feels better when you win,'' Wilson said. ``It's better when you come in here happy, music playing and everybody's shaking hands.''
Alomar homered leading off the fifth, but it was hard to tell by his reaction. He threw his bat down in apparent disgust after lifting a fly ball to right, but quickly went into a home run trot after the ball bounced off the topof the wall and into the bleachers.
Notes
Mets 1B Jay Bell had to leave after the top of the first inning after straining his right groin while dodging a pitch by Young. Howe said Bell will be evaluated Tuesday. ... Colorado plays 13 of its next 16 games at home. ... New York beat Houston twice and Arizona once from April 23-25 for its only other three-game winning streak this season. ... Wilson is the only Rockies player with a homer in the past 13 games. ... Colorado's Todd Helton was2-for-5 after going 8-for-31 the previous nine games.