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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- One pitch into the game, New York Mets fans
applauded what they saw on the scoreboard. More than five hours
later, Benny Agbayani sent them home cheering even louder.
Agbayani produced the latest piece of postseason magic for the
Mets, hitting a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the
13th inning for a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on
Saturday night and a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series.
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GAME 3 AT A GLANCE
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Every game a hero
Benny Agbayani had failed to lay down a bunt with two on and no outs in the 11th, but he redeemed himself by blasting a 1-0 pitch from Aaron Fultz over the left-center-field fence to win it in the bottom of the 13th.
Key play
In the top of the 13th, Barry Bonds stepped in against Rick White with runners at first and second and two outs. He swung at the first pitch and popped up to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo in shallow right-center. Bonds was 0-for-5 with two walks in the game.
Key number
Robb Nen had converted 28 consecutive save chances before he entered in the eighth with two outs and Lenny Harris on first. Harris stole second and then scored on Alfonzo's double.
They said it
"We just need to go to bed and let it go. Today
is over with."
-- Barry Bonds
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Agbayani flipped his bat high in the air, Barry Bonds watched
the ball sail over the left-field wall, and the Mets had won
another playoff game in their final at-bat.
"It's a great feeling to be 'the man,' " Agbayani said. "We're
one of those teams that never say die. We know anything can
happen."
Now, New York gets a chance for a return trip to the NLCS on
Sunday when Bobby J. Jones starts against Mark Gardner in the
best-of-5 series.
The Mets returned home after their emotional 5-4 victory in 10
innings at Pacific Bell Park on Thursday night, and the sellout
crowd of 56,270 immediately got a good omen.
As Marvin Benard batted leading off the game, the scoreboard
posted this final: St. Louis 7, Atlanta 1. The Cardinals had
swept the Mets' biggest thorn, the Braves, out of the playoffs and
the fans at Shea Stadium responded with a standing ovation and a
mock tomahawk-chop.
On a day -- and night -- when both teams blew several chances in
extra innings, Agbayani's shot on a 1-0 pitch from Aaron Fultz
ended it.
"I don't know what inning it was. It was long," Giants manager
Dusty Baker said.
The game took 5 hours, 22 minutes and if it had a familiar
ring for the Mets and their fans, there was a good reason.
In the previous playoff game at Shea, the Mets beat Atlanta 4-3
last Oct. 17 in the NL Championship Series on Robin Ventura's grand
slam-single in the 15th inning. That one took 5:46.
"These are always nerve-wracking," Mets catcher Mike Piazza
said. "A lot of guys really couldn't swallow out there."
Rick White, New York's sixth pitcher, wound up with the win as
Mets relievers combined for seven scoreless innings. Giants relief
ace Robb Nen gave up an RBI double to Edgardo Alfonzo in the eighth
that made it 2-2.
The Mets' last five postseason wins have all come in their final
at-bat.
"Brilliant finish. Gutted it out," Mets manager Bobby
Valentine said. "Everyone did their little parts."
Agbayani had been 0-for-5 in the game. In the 11th, with runners
on first and second and no outs, he failed to get a sacrifice bunt
down and eventually hit a harmless fly ball.
Against Fultz, his fly ball won it.
"That was the redemption right there," Agbayani said.
Not bad for a guy who was not even guaranteed a roster spot
coming out of spring training. His pinch-hit grand slam at Tokyo in
the second game of the season may have saved him -- still, until
Saturday, he was best-known this year for handing a live ball to a
fan in left field.
"I guess I won't be remembered just for that anymore," he
said.
Bonds finished 0-for-5, continuing his postseason struggles. He
had his best chance in the 13th, but popped up with runners on
first and second against White to end the inning.
"If you read his track record, he hasn't done very good in the
postseason," White said. "So that's all I was thinking about, was
just don't make a mistake here."
Said Bonds: "We just need to go to bed and let it go. Today is
over with."
Held hitless for five innings by nemesis Russ Ortiz, the Mets
tied it on Alfonzo's two-out hit in the eighth.
Nen had converted 28 straight save chances. Coincidentally -- or
perhaps not -- his previous blown save came the last time he'd
entered in the eighth, on July 2 against Los Angeles.
Later, even a bit of intrigue. With New York batting in the
10th, plate umpire Jerry Crawford walked toward a small camera that
rested on the padding against the backstop, about waist-high.
Valentine, suspected by some of using electronic equipment to
steal opponents' signals, sauntered out of the dugout. And as if to
prove nothing was sinister, he took a white towel and covered the
camera.
An inning later, the camera was gone.
Ortiz, who earned his first major league victory at Shea in
1998, began the game with a 4-0 career record and a 2.83 ERA
against the Mets.
He was just as tough this time, becoming the first pitcher to
take a no-hit bid into the sixth during the postseason since David
Cone for the Yankees in the 1998 World Series against San Diego.
Mike Bordick drew a four-pitch walk to start the sixth and
pinch-hitter Darryl Hamilton followed with a single. Late-season
sensation Timo Perez also singled, cutting the Giants' lead to 2-1.
San Francisco scored twice in the fourth against Rick Reed.
Bobby Estalella and Benard had RBI singles for their first hits in
the series.
Game notes
Giants LHP Shawn Estes remains on crutches with a sprained
left ankle, and his status for the rest of the postseason is
uncertain. ... Mets OF Derek Bell, out for the remainder of the
postseason because of a sprained right ankle, hobbled to home plate
on crutches for the pregame introductions. ... With the Giants and
Oakland Athletics both in the playoffs and staying at the same
Manhattan hotel this weekend, old friends got to visit. Aurilia
caught up with a former high school rival, A's infielder Frank
Menechino, on Friday night.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
San Francisco Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
RECAPS
Oakland 11
NY Yankees 1
St. Louis 7
Atlanta 1
NY Mets 3
San Francisco 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Benny Agbayani talks to ESPN's Tim Kurkjian after his game-winning home run.
wav: 504k k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Benny Agbayani felt the support of his team when he was at the plate.
wav: 106k k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Bobby Jones says he's ready to go in Game 4 for the Mets.
wav: 492k k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Jeff Kent feels it all comes down to one chance in late-inning games.
wav: 210k k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Rick White was happy to get his chance to contribute.
wav: 94k k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Bobby Valentine was impressed with Benny Agbayani and Rick White.
wav: 163k k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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