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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Derek Bell wasn't in New York last year when the
Mets put together a season full of dramatic finishes.
In his first game for New York at Shea Stadium, Bell provided
the Mets one to start their 2000 home season, hitting a tie-breaking
home run in the eighth inning for a 2-1 win Monday over the San
Diego Padres.
|  | | The Mets' Derek Bell points to the crowd at Shea Stadium after belting a tie-breaking homer in the eighth. |
"I think he might have seen the highlight video on the screen
and wanted to get himself on it soon," Mets manager Bobby
Valentine said. "He's got a highlight now."
Bell gave a well-rested Al Leiter (1-0) the win he hit the first
pitch he saw from Donne Wall (0-1) over the fence in left-center to
break a 1-1 tie with two outs in the eighth.
Bell pointed to his mother in the stands as he crossed home
plate and then took a curtain call for the 52,308 fans who showed
up for the Mets' season re-opener.
"It was unbelievable," Bell said of the reaction. "I'd seen
it on TV and when I played against them. It was an awesome feeling.
It's something I've always wanted to do."
Bell came to New York in December from Houston in the Mike
Hampton trade. Many Mets fans criticized the deal, which sent two
young players, hard-throwing Octavio Dotel and speedy Roger Cedeno,
to the Astros for a pitcher who could become a free agent after the
season and an overpaid outfielder on the down side of his career.
But Houston agreed to trade their 22-game winner only if another team was willing to take Bell, who hit a career-low .236 last year and will make $5 million this season.
"I told them after the trade that if I'm a throw-in, they got a good deal," Bell said. "I can steal bases, drive in runs and
steal bases."
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Gywnn struck on elbow
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Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn was hit by a pitch on his right elbow Monday and might have a chipped bone.
Gwynn told ESPN that Mets left-hander Al Leiter was trying to pitch inside when he hit Gwynn and that when Gwynn turned to get out of the way, the pitch caught him on the elbow.
"It just went numb," Gwynn said. "It's frustrating. It's the first game of the year -- you plan for certain things, prepare, get ready to play. I have no remedy for this. Hopefully the pain will go away."
Preliminary X-rays on Gwynn's elbow after the Padres' 2-1 loss were inconclusive. Gwynn had more X-rays Monday night and will be examined again on Tuesday or Wednesday after the swelling subsides.
According to Padres trainer Todd Hutcheson, if Gwynn is still experiencing severe pain in 48 hours, he probably has a broken bone. Gwynn remained in the game after he was hit by the pitch but left in the eighth inning when his fingers went numb on his swing.
Padres manager Bruce Bochy said Gwynn will miss the rest of the series against the Mets. Bochy said that, in a worst-case scenario, Gwynn suffered a fracture and would miss several weeks.
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And hit game-winning homers too.
The trade also took pressure off Leiter, who is no longer the
Mets' ace. However, he pitched like a No. 1 starter in his first
game since not retiring a batter in Game 6 of the NLCS against
Atlanta last year.
The left-hander allowed one run, five hits and no walks in eight
innings, striking out seven.
"Leiter is tough," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "When he
is starting the third game for them you get an idea of how good
they are."
Leiter didn't make the 7,200-mile trip from Port St. Lucie,
Fla., to Tokyo for the season-opening two-game series against the
Chicago Cubs and looked fresh because of it.
"I knew I had to pitch well because the guys kept reminding me
they were jet-lagged," said Leiter, who gave up his only run in
the second on a homer to Phil Nevin. "I tried to keep them in the
game until they could finally break through."
The rest of the Mets, however, looked sluggish for six innings
and trailed 1-0 before breaking through in the seventh against
Sterling Hitchcock.
Edgardo Alfonzo walked to lead off the inning, advanced to third
on Mike Piazza's hard single to left and scored the tying run on a
sacrifice fly by Todd Zeile.
"I shouldn't have walked the leadoff man," Hitchcock said.
"That's something I just can't do. That's what beat us."
Hitchcock, who struggled with injuries and his velocity in
spring training, showed why Cleveland almost completed a deal for
him last week. The trade died when Cleveland couldn't clear enough
salary to take on the $6.1 million Hitchcock is scheduled to make
this year.
"I think that's over," he said of the trade talks. "I don't
really care to pursue it any further."
Armando Benitez pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.
Game notes
Alfonzo, who didn't make an error on a grounder all last
season, was charged with one in the second inning when he misplayed
Ruben Rivera's grounder. ... Piazza, who struggled with his
throwing last season, threw out Carlos Hernandez trying to steal
second base in the seventh inning. ... Padres 1B Ryan Klesko,
mostly a platoon player in Atlanta, went 0-for-3 against the
left-handed Leiter. Klesko was 5-for-49 with one extra-base hit
against lefties in 1999. ... San Diego fell to 14-18 on opening
day. The Mets improved to 24-15 in home openers.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
San Diego Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
Baseball in the Big Apple
RECAPS
Cleveland 4
Baltimore 1
Texas 10
Chi. White Sox 4
Toronto 5
Kansas City 4
Tampa Bay 7
Minnesota 0
Detroit 7
Oakland 4
NY Yankees 3
Anaheim 2
Milwaukee 3
Cincinnati 3
NY Mets 2
San Diego 1
Atlanta 2
Colorado 0
St. Louis 7
Chicago Cubs 1
Florida 6
San Francisco 4
Los Angeles 10
Montreal 4
Houston 0
Pittsburgh 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 A depressed Tony Gwynn talkes about his injury.
wav: 192 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Derek Bell had an emotional day.
wav: 104 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Bobby Valentine tells how a team comes together.
wav: 91 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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