Mets Beat Brewers, Tie Braves
Rick Reed located his curveball and the New York Mets found a spot in first place.
Reed won his seventh straight decision and Mike Piazza hit one of three New York homers Monday night to lead the Mets to a 7-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
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The Mets, 10-1 in Reed's last 11 starts, moved into a first-place tie with Atlanta in the NL East.
"There's a lot of race left, but I like the way we're playing," New York manager Bobby Valentine said.
Reed (10-3) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked two for the Mets, who are 14-4 since the All-Star break.
"His curveball was sharper," Valentine said. "He found something in his curveball that he felt really good about. I think he has a lot of really good performances left."
Milwaukee starter Hideo Nomo (9-4), released by the Mets in spring training, was tagged for six runs and nine hits in five innings. He gave up back-to-back homers to Robin Ventura and newly-acquired Darryl Hamilton in the fourth, as well as Mike Piazza's 22nd in the fifth.
"I thought he made a couple of good pitches that they hit to put him on the ropes," Milwaukee manager Phil Garner said. "I just felt he wasn't real sharp with his control like he has been in the past."
New York took a 2-0 lead in the first. Rickey Henderson led off with a single, stole second and scored on Edgardo Alfonzo's double. Alfonzo scored when Piazza reached on shortstop Jose Valentin's error.
Ventura led off the fourth with his team-high 23rd home run, and Hamilton followed with his fifth. It was the sixth time this season the Mets have hit consecutive homers.
Shawon Dunston hit an RBI single with two outs in his first at-bat with New York, making it 5-0.
Dunston came in to play left field for Henderson, who strained his right hip after he doubled in the third. Dunston scored on John Olerud's double-play grounder in the ninth to make it 7-2.
"They're an impressive club," said Milwaukee's Geoff Jenkins. "What impresses me is they're so unselfish."
Milwaukee, which has lost three straight, got a solo homer from Jenkins in the fourth.
The Brewers added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Cirillo.
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