Mets Eat Up Big Mac And Cards

Mike Piazza got one last chance and he made the most of it.

Piazza homered in the ninth to extend his career-best hitting streak to 21 games and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 Friday night for their fourth straight victory.

Piazza was hitless in his first four at-bats before leading off the ninth inning with a homer off Mike Mohler. Piazza is three games short of tying the longest hitting streak in team history, set by Hubie Brooks in 1984.

"I had some real good swings in my first couple of at-bats," Piazza said. "I hit the ball hard, but it was right at people."

"His balls don't need any help from the atmosphere," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "He hits them solid. He was a little frustrated, because he had left some men on base. But he got a big hit there."

Piazza was not looking for a big hit, though.

"I didn't go up there looking to run the ball out of the park," Piazza said. "It was just like any other at-bat. I just take my shots and get my swings in."

Edgardo Alfonzo, who has an RBI in seven straight games, doubled twice and drove in two runs for the Mets, who have won 10 of 12. The Cardinals fell to 3-5 on their 13-game homestand.

Valentine said the Mets have a simple formula for their recent success.

"Good defense, good pitching, and good hitting," he said. "When you get all those things, and you piece it together, you're going to play well."

Orel Hershiser (7-5), suffering from back spasms, allowed one hit in five scoreless innings for his 197th career victory, and his fifth in six starts.

Hershiser faced the minimum in the first four innings, picking off Ray Lankford after a walk in the second. Joe McEwing singled in the fourth and was erased on a double play.

After walking Fernando Tatis and Darren Bragg in the fifth, Hershiser got Eli Marrero on a fly ball. The Mets pinch-hit for Hershiser in the sixth.

"When I came out of the game, it (his back) did start to get pretty painful, so I thought it was a pretty good move," Hershiser said.

Turk Wendell relieved Hershiser and allowed a two-run homer to Thomas Howard in the eighth. Armando Benitez got the final four outs for his second save.

Juan Acevedo (4-2) gave up four runs in 5 2-3 innings. The Cardinals had won in all six of his previous starts.

"Juan pitched very competitively and he made them work for their runs," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "The runs he gave up were tough because he made decent pitches."

Roger Cedeno went 3-for-3 with two walks and scored three runs. He also stole two bases, giving him a major league-leading 37.

New York chased Acevedo with two runs in the sixth for a 4-0 lead. The Mets loaded the bases with one out and, after pinch-hitter Matt Franco struck out, Rickey Henderson hit a two-run single.

"I felt good, but a couple of times, I didn't make good pitches when it counted," Acevedo said.

Rey Ordonez, batting .436 in his last 11 games, made it 2-0 in the fourth with an RBI single.

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