Mets Win, Franco Gets 400th Save

It's only April, and already the New York Mets are sipping champagne.

John Franco is the reason for the early celebration. When the popular reliever struck out the side in the ninth inning of Wednesday night's 4-1 victory over the Florida Marlins , he became only the second pitcher to reach 400 career saves.

"The first of many Mets celebrations this year," Franco said as he raised a glass for a toast following the Mets' fifth consecutive win.

Franco, 38, got his third save of season, helping the Mets to a 7-2 start, their best since 1985. He relieved in the ninth and struck out Todd Dunwoody and Preston Wilson before Kevin Orie reached when second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo misplayed his popup into a double.

Franco then fanned Jorge Fabregas for the final out, and was mobbed on the field by his teammates.

"I'd be lying if I told you that it wasn't in the back of my mind," Franco said. "I celebrated a little prematurely there, but the main thing is that we won."

The only reliever with more saves than Franco is Lee Smith, who retired with 478.

"He's still right at the top of his game," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "Here's a guy throwing over 90 miles per hour in getting his 400th save."

Orel Hershiser (1-1) improved to 3-1 against the Marlins, needing just nine pitches for his first six batters. He gave up a run in the fifth, when Wilson bunted for a hit and scored on pinch-hitter Bruce Aven's sacrifice fly.

"I thought I threw the ball pretty well," said Hershiser, who rebounded from a 5-1 loss at Montreal on April 8. "In the beginning, the wind was eally helping me by moving the ball all over the strike zone. As the game, wore on, it started to chill my hand and I lost my mechanics a little bit."

Robin Ventura hit his second homer of the season in the seventh off Antonio Alfonseca to make it 4-1. Ventura has hit in all nine games and has 10 RBI.

New York has won four straight since All-Star catcher Mike Piazza was injured and beat the Marlins despite getting outhit 5-3.

Jesus Sanchez (0-2), a former Mets prospect, walked six and it cost him. He walked four in the second, including Bobby Bonilla with the bases loaded. Todd Pratt, Piazza's replacement, hit an RBI double to drive in the first run and Edgardo Alfonzo's run-scoring double made it 3-0.

Sanchez needed 64 pitches to complete two innings and dropped to 0-4 against the team that traded him for Al Leiter.

"The base on balls, that's something you can't do against this kind of team," Marlins manager John Boles said.

Four pitchers combined to issue 10 walks through six innings for the Marlins, who have lost four in row and six of their last seven since a 6-2 win over the Mets on opening day.

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