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GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Regardless of what Mike Piazza says, he owns
Trevor Hoffman.
|  | | Padres shortstop Damian Jackson goes airborne to retire Derek Bell on Tuesday. |
Piazza's pinch-hit, two-run homer off Hoffman with two outs in
the 10th inning Tuesday lifted the New York Mets over the San Diego
Padres 5-3.
It was an impressive homer, an opposite-field liner to right
that gave Piazza 13 homers this season and three pinch homers in
his career. It made Piazza 6-for-13 (.462) against Hoffman,
including four homers.
"Even though I've got a good average against him, he's gotten
me out in some big situations as well," Piazza said.
While Piazza tried to downplay his success against the closer,
two of the homers have been pretty big.
Besides Tuesday's shot, which helped keep the Mets from losing
the first two games of this trip, Piazza hit a two-run homer off
Hoffman to give the Mets a 4-3 win in New York on April 28, 1999,
one of just three blown saves by Hoffman in 43 chances last year.
It also ended San Diego's streak of 181 straight wins when leading
after eight innings.
"This is a humbling game. You can't revel in any sort of
short-term success," Piazza said. "You just have to realize that
we're probably going to have to face him again tomorrow and he's
probably going to be just as tough and just as nasty."
Piazza, who didn't start in the day game following Monday
night's 1-0 loss to the Padres, was pinch-hitting for leadoff
hitter Joe McEwing. Mark Johnson hit a pinch single ahead of Piazza
and was replaced by pinch-runner Jon Nunnally.
Facing a pitcher like Hoffman, Piazza said he just wants to pick
a good pitch over the plate. After taking a 74-mph changeup for
ball one, Piazza drove a cut fastball.
"He's got that great changeup and he can really lock you up,"
Piazza said. "I'll take it. You don't really expect much in that
situation. It's kind of a way of alleviating the pressure and just
feeling like you just want to go out and drive the ball."
He did just that, leaving Hoffman (0-1) struggling to figure out
how to get him out.
"It was a good pitcher's pitch and he turned it into a good
hitter's pitch," Hoffman said. "He's a money guy. I was
comfortable with the pitch. As strong as he is, he was able to
drive it out of the park."
Hoffman said the key to the inning was allowing the single to
Johnson.
"It brought a lot of heat to the plate with a guy on first,"
Hoffman said.
New York wasted a 3-0 lead and starter Al Leiter left with a
no-decision, but the Mets improved to 9-0 in games started by the
left-hander.
Winner Turk Wendell (4-2) gave up two hits in two innings, and
Armando Benitez pitched the 10th for his 12th save in 13 chances.
Tony Gwynn had his first two hits at home in 2000, going 2-for-5
with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Gwynn tied it at 3 when he homered off Leiter leading off the
sixth. It was the first homer of the year for Gwynn, an eight-time
NL batting champion who moved past Cap Anson for sole possession of
17th place on the career hits list with 3,082.
Both of Gwynn's hits were off Leiter, who had held lefties to
just three hits in 49 at-bats coming in.
"I kind of gave in to Tony today, which kind of upsets me a
little bit," Leiter said. "Sometimes when great hitters are up,
pitchers concede to them as opposed to thinking about making
quality pitches."
Limited to just four home appearances because of elbow and knee
injuries, Gwynn had been 0-for-13 in San Diego before doubling off
the base of the fence in right-center in the fourth to score Ruben
Rivera and pull the Padres to 3-1.
Gwynn took third on Phil Nevin's fly ball and scored on Ed
Sprague's bloop double to left.
Leiter allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings, struck
out seven and walked one.
Todd Zeile and Todd Pratt hit consecutive homers off Stan
Spencer to open the second for a 3-0 lead. It was Zeile sixth and
Pratt's third. New York's first run came on Edgardo Alfonzo's
single in the first.
Spencer retired his last 10 batters before Donne Wall started
the eighth. Spencer allowed three runs -- two earned -- and four hits
in seven innings, struck out eight and walked one.
Game
notes
Rivera was thrown out on the basepaths for the second time
in as many games. He did extend his hitting streak to six, matching
his career-best, set last week. ... The Mets have hit consecutive
homers six times this year. The last time had been May 12 against
Florida's Ryan Dempster, when Robin Ventura and Piazza connected.
... It was Leiter who hit Gwynn on his right elbow on April 3,
sidelining him for three games. Gwynn has appeared in only 18 of
the Padres' first 45 games, starting 16. ... Gwynn's double was the
526th of his career, moving him out of a tie with Ted Williams for
27th and into a tie with Dave Parker for 26th.
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 There's no pressure for Mike Piazza in a pinch-hit situation.
wav: 101 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Al Leiter had a little trouble facing Tony Gwynn.
wav: 128 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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