Jones Surprises All In Mets' Win

April 25, 1998 / 4:06 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Bobby Jones was looking for a win. What he got surprised even himself.

"I had great stuff ... the greatest that I've ever had," Jones said after leading the New York Mets over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 Friday night. "I was able to throw whatever kind of pitch I wanted. I also had very good command of my fastball."

Jones (1-2) won for the first time in four starts this season and Butch Huskey drove in the go-ahead run as the Mets erased an eighth-inning deficit.

Jones was the Mets' ace last season, going 15-9, but was winless in his first three starts this year. He allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings. After New York took the lead, John Franco finished for his fifth save.

"The fact that hadn't won yet this season never entered my mind," he said. "We were only down by a run, so I wasn't going to hang my head. My job is to give us a chance to win. My record is not important. The team winning the game is what matters most."

With Cincinnati ahead 2-1, Reds starter Mike Remlinger walked Tim Spehr opening the eighth. Jeff Shaw (0-2) relieved with one out and gave up a single to pinch-hitter Rich Becker that moved the tying run to third.

Edgardo Alfonzo singled, Bernard Gilkey was intentionally walked and Huskey hit a grounder to second that put the Mets ahead.

"We expect to win even though we are not scoring a lot of runs," Huskey said. "You never want to play from behind because that really makes it tough on your pitcher. He can't make a mistake.

"I was looking for a slider, and that's what I got. Fortunately, I put the ball in play and we got the run. Sometimes it's not the big hit that wins for you. It's the little things, and I'm doing the little things even though my average is not what it should be."

Remlinger, who beat Jones and the Mets on April 17, allowed two runs and three hits in 7 1-3 innings and struck out eight.

New York took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Jim Tatum's sacrifice fly, but Brian McRae took a called third strike that ended the inning with runners on second and third.

Cincinnati went ahead in the fifth on Bret Boone's RBI single and a wild pitch by Jones with Boone on third.

"Games like this happen," Shaw said. "I didn't make a single mistake and I expected him (Huskey) to hit a ground ball when I threw the slider. Instead, he hit a high chopper and the run scored. That's the way this game is."

Notes: Cincinnati placed left-hander Steve Cooke on the l5-day disabled list, retroactive to April 20, because of tendinitis in his left elbow. It's Cooke's second trip to the DL this season. ... The Reds had optioned infielder Aaron Boone, just 1-for-l0 in nine games, to Indianapolis of the American Association. But Willie Greene is sidelned up to a month with a dislocated left pinky, so Boone will stay with the Reds. ... Danny Graves and Scott Winchester, both right-handed pitchers, were called up from Indianapolis. ... New York is 8-3 in one-run games. The Mets were 21-27 in one-run games last season. ... New York's 13-7 start is their best start since they went l4-6 in l988 the last year they made the playoffs. Seven of the 13 victories have come in their last at-bat.