Mets Victory Ends Losing Streak

John Olerud's tie-breaking sacrifice fly ignited a four-run, error-aided rally in the bottom of the eighth inning as the New York Mets snapped a season-high six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

With the bases loaded and none out, Olerud lined a 3-2 pitch to left field off reliever Chuck McElroy to score Luis Lopez and make a winner out of Rick Reed (2-2), who allowed one run and five hits over eight innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Reed also had an RBI single in the fifth inning.

"I did my job and stuck to my game plan and it worked out," said Reed, who credited his success to studying the Rockies' hitters on film Saturday night. "The only thing I was thinking about in the bottom of the eighth was that the losing streak might be over."

"That's the same type of game we've been playing for a week," added Mets manager Bobby Valentine. "It's nice to be on the upside. We just have to take advantage of situations given to us. It bounces your way in streaks."

John Franco, who blew his two previous save opportunties, made things interesting in the ninth. With one out, Vinny Castilla belted his major-league leading 13th homer. After pinch-hitter Greg Colbrunn walked, Perez struck out. Jeff Reed singled, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Franco got pinch-hitter Nelson Liriano on a called third strike to preserve the victory.

"I made it a little interesting, but it was still a win," said Franco. "I've been through this before and I'll go through it again."

Held to three hits through seven innings, the Mets, who snapped their longest skid since August 1996, took advantage of three Rockies errors to score four unearned runs in the eighth. Eight of New York's 14 victories this year have come in their last at-bat.

Todd Helton booted Lopez's grounder deep in the hole between first and second to start the inning against starter Pedro Astacio (2-4).

"He went out there in no man's land and couldn't get back", said Rockies manager Don Baylor. "That's a routine play for (Mike) Lansing."

Helton fielded Carlos Baerga's grounder but his throw to second was dropped by shortstop Neifi Perez, who committed his team-high seventh error. After Craig Paquette singled to load the bases, Olerud's sacrifice fly snapped the tie.

"We just thought it was a good opportunty to score," said Olerud. "I was just thinking to stay back and not jump at the ball. I was concentrating on not over-swinging."

Butch Huskey flied out, but second baseman Mike Lansing bobbled Brian McRae's grounder, allowing Baerga to score. Pinch-hitter Matt Franco greeted Dave Veres with a two-run double.

"Both pitchers pitched well," added Baylor. "It pretty much came down to that dreadful bottom of the eighth where we sort of self-destructed."

"It was just a bad inning," added Lansing. "Mistakes were made that should not have been made. It pretty much cost us the game."

Reed helped his cause by singling over Perez's head to score Alberto Castillo with two out in the bottom of the fifth to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. It was the second time this season Reed helped the Mets with his bat. He had a game-winning two-run homer in a 2-1 triumph over Cincinnati on April 15.

"All it was, was luck," said Reed. "I was just happy to get it over his head."

But the Rockies, held to one hit through five innings, tied it in the sixth as Lansing tripled with one out and scored on Ellis Burks' RBI single.

Colorado, which was denied its first four-game winning streak of the season, had a chance to break the tie in the eighth, but Larry Walker flied out to the warning track in right with runners at first and second.

"My plan was to just keep him in the park," said Reed. "I thought it was going out. I was yelling to Butch to climb the wall."

New York third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo left in the sixth inning with a strained right shoulder.

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