Alou's tiebreaking homer lifts Mets 4-3 By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer

Alou's tiebreaking homer lifts Mets 4-3 By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer
Wed Aug 8, 11:55 PM ET



NEW YORK - Moises Alou hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Billy Wagner escaped a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the ninth to help the New York Mets edge the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Wednesday night.

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Wagner earned his 350th career save and extended his scoreless streak to 21 innings when slumping Andruw Jones grounded into a game-ending double play. Jeff Francouer bounced into a force play at the plate for the first out of the inning.

Shawn Green went 4-for-4 for the Mets, who beat Atlanta for only the fourth time in 11 meetings this season. Luis Castillo's broken-bat, two-run single off reliever Ron Mahay tied the score with two outs in the seventh.

By rebounding from a 7-3 loss Tuesday night, the NL East leaders increased their cushion over the Braves to 4 1/2 games. Atlanta had won three straight overall.

After a nifty pitchers' duel between fortysomethings John Smoltz and Orlando Hernandez, the Braves went ahead 2-1 in the sixth on a two-out, two-run double by Mets nemesis Chipper Jones. Mark Teixeira followed with an RBI single.

Wagner entered in the ninth with a 4-3 lead, but Chipper Jones and Teixeira hit consecutive singles before the closer walked pinch-hitter Chris Woodward, who was squaring around to bunt.

Francouer, on a recent tear, hit a grounder to third baseman David Wright for an out at the plate. Andruw Jones, struggling through a poor season and dropped to seventh in the lineup for the second time this season, then hit a grounder to Castillo at second for a tailor-made double play.

The victory preserved, Castillo did a jubilant little dance with shortstop Jose Reyes. It was Wagner's 26th save in 27 chances this year. He has not permitted a run in 19 outings since June 15.

After two long flyouts earlier in the game, Alou drove an 0-2 pitch from Rafael Soriano (2-3) over the left-field fence.

Aaron Heilman (7-3) worked a scoreless eighth for the win, becoming the first Mets pitcher to beat the Braves this season other than Oliver Perez.

Wright hit a sacrifice fly in the first off Smoltz, who left with a 3-1 lead. He was charged with three runs — two earned — and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Hernandez allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. He didn't give up a hit until Brian McCann's leadoff single in the fifth.

Notes:@ The gametime temperature was 93 degrees, the highest at Shea Stadium since a 98-degree day on Aug. 9, 2001, against Milwaukee. ... Mets CF Lastings Milledge made an excellent catch on Chipper Jones' drive in the fourth inning. Milledge crashed into the fence with his left shoulder and tumbled to the ground, but held onto the ball.