CINCINNATI — Laynce Nix hit a solo, pinch-hit homer in the
bottom of the 11th inning Monday night, powering Cincinnati to a 3-2
victory over the New York Mets and keeping the Reds perfect in extra
innings.
Nix hit a drive off Manny Acosta (1-1) that barely cleared the
wall in right-center field with one out, setting up another joyous
scrum at the plate. It was his first career game-ending homer.
Nick
Masset (3-1) pitched the last two innings, giving up two singles in
the 11th. Then, the Reds pulled out another one at the end. Eight of
their 13 wins have come in their final at-bat. They are 3-0 in extra
innings.
Drew Stubbs also homered for the Reds, leading
off the first inning with the first one allowed by Oliver Perez
this season. Joey Votto also had an RBI single off the
left-hander, who lasted six innings and remained winless in six starts
since Aug. 18.
Both teams have taken similar bottom-to-top paths
in the last two weeks.
The Mets won eight in a row, going from
last to first in the NL East. Two losses at Philadelphia over the
weekend dropped them a half-game behind the Phillies heading into the
Cincinnati series. The Reds won five straight, climbing to second place
in the NL Central, before dropping their last two at first-place St.
Louis.
Which one would keep falling?
The Mets were playing
on little rest. They lost in Philadelphia 11-5 on Sunday night, and
didn't get to their hotel in Cincinnati until nearly 4 a.m.
The
offense looked a little sleepy, but that wasn't new. Four of the Mets'
eight starting position players were batting .257 or less heading into
the game. The Reds gave them a little help to get going.
Stubbs
initially broke the wrong way on Ike Davis' liner to center with
two outs in the second inning. Stubbs never fully recovered, the ball
deflecting off his glove for a two-base error. Jeff Francoeur
singled off Mike Leake to tie it 1-1, only his fourth hit in his
last 18 at-bats.
Jose Reyes doubled home another run in
the sixth, tying it at 2.
Leake, who made the jump from Arizona
State directly to the majors, had another solid showing. The unbeaten
right-hander gave up four hits and two runs — one earned — in six
innings, lowering his ERA to 2.94.
Notes
Mets 3B David Wright made the best play of the game, catching
Stubbs' grounder down the line and making a throw from foul territory
while his momentum carried him away from first. Got him by a step. …
New York's Jason Bay saw his hitting streak end at nine games.
… Reds OF Chris Dickerson had surgery on his right hand and
wrist. He's expected to be sidelined for at least a month. … It was
the fourth career leadoff homer by Stubbs and the first by the Reds this
season. … RF Chris Heisey made his major league debut, going
0-for-5. He was the Reds' minor league player of the year last season.