CINCINNATI -- Not enough cash, and not enough hits.

After challenging the big spenders for six months, the low-budget Cincinnati Reds fell short.

The Little Red Machine, trying to show the small markets can still compete, was derailed on two hits by Al Leiter, who led the New York Mets to the 5-0 win Monday night in a one-game playoff for the NL wild card.

"Nobody has to hang their heads," said Greg Vaughn, who was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts but finished with 45 home runs. "It was a fun year. This is a good group. We came together and proved a lot of people wrong."

While the Mets began the season with baseball's eighth-highest payroll at $63.5 million, the Reds payroll was 22nd among the 30 major-league teams at $33.1 million.

"I sure hope they keep the same unit. We believed in each other," said Dmitri Young, whose game-ending liner to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo was one of the Reds hardest-hit balls.

Once again, the high rollers made the postseason an exclusive club. For the second straight season, the eight playoff teams are among the top 12 spenders, with opening-day payrolls of $52 million and up.

Cincinnati had just two hits: Jeffrey Hammonds' second-inning single and Pokey Reese's leadoff double in the ninth.

"Nobody expected us to be here," Reds manager Jack McKeon said. "We started slow, but then we got the pitching straightened out and we played impressive ball. We played interesting ball."

But it wasn't enough. The big spenders had more.

The Mets, who joined the Yankees to give New York two post-season teams for the first time since 1956, took a 2-0 lead on the game's sixth pitch, when Alfonzo hit a two-run homer off Steve Parris (11-4).

Alfonzo had been 0-for-9 against Parris before hitting his 27th homer of the season, a drive that took much of the life out of a capacity crowd of 54,621.

Cincinnati's bats were as quiet as the fans. Leiter retired 13 straight before walking Eddie Taubensee leading off the eighth inning.

The Reds began the night with the sixth-highest average in the National League at .273 but went just 2-for-28. It took an extra game, but what they had wasn't enough.

Parris was chased after allowing three runs, three hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings. He was relieved by Denny Neagle in the third inning. Neagle, in only his second relief appearance since 1993, walked Robin Ventura with the bases loaded to make it 3-0.

Neagle and Danny Graves didn't pitch badly, each allowing a run and two hits, and Dennys Reyes finished with a scoreless ninth.

"It's not disappointing. I don't think anybody expected us to be here," Sean Casey said. "It came down to a one-game playoff, and we hope to be back next year."