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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK -- The New York Mets were happy to see that Mike
Hampton was OK. They were glad, too, they did not see Steve Finley
make the same play last season.
|  | | Catches like this one by Steve Finley had even Mets fans cheering Sunday at Shea Stadium, where New York beat Arizona, 2-1. |
Hampton showed no ill effects from the cracked rib that
sidelined him, pitching eight sharp innings as the Mets, despite
being robbed by Finley's spectacular catch, beat Arizona 2-1
Sunday.
"It's not 100 percent, I could tell that. But I could handle
it," Hampton said. "I felt comfortable for the most part."
New York increased its wild card lead over the Diamondbacks to
5½ games, scoring the tiebreaking run in the seventh on Todd
Zeile's RBI grounder.
The Diamondbacks lost for the fifth time in six games. They
finished 2-7 against New York this season. The teams combined for
only seven hits.
While Hampton (13-7) tamed Arizona on three hits in his first
game since Aug. 17, Finley turned in the play of the day -- and one
of the best this season on a ball hit by Ventura.
"You just shake your head and go back to the dugout," Ventura
said.
With the score 1-1, Ventura opened the fifth with a high drive
to deep center field. Finley, who had already taken away an
extra-base hit from Mike Piazza with a leaping catch at the wall,
raced back to the eight-foot-high fence and got ready.
Finley grabbed the top of the padding with his left hand, pulled
himself up and reached far over the wall to backhand Ventura's
shot. Mets fans cheered the play, and half of Finley's teammates on
the field waited for him in front of the dugout to offer
congratulations after the inning ended.
The Mets, meanwhile, were fortunate Finley -- known for such
sensational plays -- did not make that kind of catch last fall. Todd
Pratt homered barely beyond Finley's reach in the same spot in the
bottom of the 10th to lift New York over Arizona in the clinching
Game 4 of the division series.
"It's the kind you love to make as an outfielder, but I'd
replace both of those today for that one last October," Finley
said. "In fact, I'd trade both of them for a win."
"It's not a play you can practice all the time," he said. "I
think you practice it more in your mind."
Ventura knew Finley might cheat him of a home run.
"With him, if you don't go way over, you have a chance to be
out," Ventura said. "You have to hit it way beyond his reach."
Said Mets manager Bobby Valentine: "It was deja-vu all over
again. I thought Pratt's ball was caught and I thought this was
over."
Sitting in the dugout, Pratt flashed back to last year.
"Mine was more of a line drive, Robin's was up in the air
more," he said. "I'm definitely glad he couldn't pull mine
back."
The Mets were equally happy to see that Hampton was OK. He was
forced to leave his last start because of a stress fracture in a
right rib -- aggravating an old high school football injury -- and a
strained muscle in his side.
Hampton was in complete control against Arizona, allowing only
three singles. He struck out three and walked two, and improved to
4-0 with a 2.18 ERA in his last six starts.
"He was aces," Valentine said. "I don't know if we're out of
the woods yet. It's a situation we'll monitor and live with."
Armando Benitez pitched a hitless ninth for his 35th save.
Benny Agbayani hit a solo home run off Armando Reynoso (10-9),
ending his four-game winning streak against his former team.
Reynoso gave up only four hits in 6 2-3 innings.
The Mets scored the go-ahead run in the seventh after loading
the bases with one out on singles by Edgardo Alfonzo and Piazza and
a walk to Ventura. Zeile followed with a grounder in the hole and
shortstop Hanley Frias did all he could to just get a forceout at
second.
Arizona made it 1-all in the fifth when Kelly Stinnett drew a
leadoff walk and eventually scored on Bautista's two-out single.
Hampton limited the damage, picking off Bautista.
Game notes
Arizona's Jay Bell was booed, a day after he flattened
Piazza with a forearm to the face in a home plate collision. Mets
GM Steve Phillips described the hit as "excessive." Said Piazza:
"I woke up with a little bit of whiplash today, but I felt fine."
... Bautista extended his hitting streak to 10 games, tying a
career high set earlier this season. ... Piazza had reached base in
seven straight plate appearances before Finley's catch in the
second.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Arizona Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
Arizona first baseman slightly injured in car crash
Rib OK, so Hampton set to return to Mets' rotation
RECAPS
Baltimore 3
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 11
Boston 7
Minnesota 7
Detroit 6
NY Yankees 7
Oakland 5
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 1
Anaheim 10
Cleveland 9
Toronto 6
Texas 4
St. Louis 7
Atlanta 2
NY Mets 2
Arizona 1
Houston 7
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 2
San Francisco 1
Colorado 9
Pittsburgh 2
San Diego 2
Milwaukee 1
Los Angeles 7
Chicago Cubs 6
Florida 7
Cincinnati 6
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mike Piazza comments on Mike Hampton's performance in Sunday's win against Arizona.
wav: 78 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Hampton talks about pitching eight great innings against Arizona.
wav: 74 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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