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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BOSTON (AP) -- A near brawl, two clutch hits, an ejected pitcher
and a one-run lead had the Fenway Park crowd in a near frenzy
heading into the eighth inning of the Boston Red Sox game with the
New York Mets. But Mike Piazza silenced them with one swing.
|  | | Mike Piazza watches his solo homer in the fourth inning. He added No. 26 four innings later. |
Piazza's two-run homer off Derek Lowe was his second of the game
and proved to the game-winner in New York's 6-4 win over Boston on
Friday night.
"It was definitely a momentum changer," Mets catcher Todd
Pratt said.
But Piazza downplayed the significance of his home run.
"I think we were just coming back and trying to win," he said.
"I don't think there was anything ignited between the two teams. I
think was just an isolated thing."
Pat Mahomes (3-1) got one out after Dennis Cook was ejected in
the seventh for the win. Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his
20th save in 24 chances, after blowing a save against Boston
Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Nomar Garciaparra went 4-for-4 for Boston to raise his average to a major league-leading .400. After the game, Garciaparra refused to discuss his performance.
"You guys can ask me about the game," he said, "but I don't
want to talk about me."
Piazza's second home run came after a wild seventh inning in
which Troy O'Leary's bloop single gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead, and
seemed to swing things Boston's way.
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Flirting with .400
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Player
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Average
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Date
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Nomar Garciaparra
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.400
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7/14/00
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Larry Walker
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.402
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7/17/97
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Tony Gwynn
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.402
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7/14/97
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Recent players who hit .400 into July
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The bloop hit over the head of second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo
scored Garciaparra.
The hit capped off a tense inning that saw both benches empty
when Pratt and Boston's Brian Daubach began jawing.
The incident started when Red Sox manager Jimy Williams came out
twice to ask the umpires to check Cook's ball, a move manager Bobby
Valentine said was clearly designed to rattle Cook.
Pratt and Daubach began arguing after Daubach stepped out of the
box, apparently exasperated over the amount of time pitcher Cook
was taking between pitches.
Pratt said he tried to explain to Daubach that Cook wanted to
take his time with an 0-2 count and a runner on second, and Daubach
told him to "Save it."
"I just said, 'Who are you to tell me to me to 'save it?"' Pratt
said. "I couldn't believe a guy that has one year in is telling me
to 'save it."'
Daubach said he didn't know what the problem was.
"You have to ask those guys," he said. "I was laughing all the way."
Valentine stepped between Pratt and Daubach as the bullpen and benches cleared. No punches were thrown.
On the first pitch after home plate umpire Marty Foster issued a
warning to both benches, Daubach tied the game at 3 with a single
that knocked in Jose Offerman.
Cook was ejected two batters later when he hit Carl Everett with
a pitch on the shoulder. Police and security guards stepped in
front of both dugouts as Everett walked to first and Cook gestured
toward the Red Sox bench.
Cook said he didn't throw at Everett intentionally, he was just trying to pitch him inside.
"I have to throw inside to him," he said.
New York added an insurance run on Mora's RBI single in the ninth.
The Red Sox took the lead in the second inning when Garciaparra
doubled high off the wall and scored on an O'Leary's single.
The Mets tied it in the fourth on a Piazza's first home run, then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth after Mora homered following Pratt's single.
Boston cut it to 3-2 in the sixth when O'Leary singled to score Garciaparra.
The Mets helped themselves with some sparkling defensive plays early. In the first, Mets third baseman Joe McEwing made two diving assists, first on Jeff Frye's hard grounder to his right, then on
Daubach's ground shot to his left.
In the third, Derek Bell slid into the right-field corner to grab a shot by Offerman.
Then in the fourth, Pratt and left-fielder Benny Agbayani both dove into the stands for putouts.
Game notes
Pratt's single to center in the second snapped an 0-for-28
stretch. ... Schourek is 0-4 with a 4.85 ERA in 11 starts at Fenway
this season. ... Piazza has homered in four of his last 10 games
and has hit safely in 24 of his last 27.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Mets Clubhouse
Boston Clubhouse
Plane truth: Mets' Hamilton traveled with Clemens
RECAPS
NY Mets 6
Boston 4
Cleveland 9
Pittsburgh 3
Houston 9
Detroit 4
NY Yankees 6
Florida 2
Toronto 3
Philadelphia 2
Tampa Bay 8
Montreal 5
Atlanta 4
Baltimore 1
St. Louis 9
Chi. White Sox 4
Milwaukee 4
Kansas City 0
Chicago Cubs 6
Minnesota 2
Arizona 6
Texas 1
Seattle 7
San Diego 5
Anaheim 5
Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 4
Oakland 2
Cincinnati 9
Colorado 2
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