One Big Inning Is All Huskey, Mets Need

Butch Huskey had five RBIs, all in a nine-run sixth inning, and the New York Mets rallied for their fifth consecutive victory and beat the Florida Marlins, 10-6.

Mike Piazza, wearing his third uniform at Pro Player Stadium in 17 days, went two for five but stranded six runners.

The former Dodger all-star catcher, who spent a week with the Marlins before they traded him to the Mets, received a rousing ovation each time he stepped to the plate.

“I didn’t do a lot tonight, but fortunately we had some guys who did,” Piazza said. “The way we’ve been hitting, I’m trying to figure out why they got me.”

Huskey doubled home the first two runs in the sixth, then doubled again to drive in the final three. The major-league record for RBIs in an inning is six, achieved 12 times since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done that, not even in Little League,” Huskey said. “It’s something I won’t ever forget.”

It was the biggest inning for the Mets since Aug. 16, 1988, when they scored nine runs in the first at San Francisco.

“That was a heck of an inning,” Mets’ Manager Bobby Valentine said. “We kept smacking it around. It made for a real nice night.”

Rookie Ryan Jackson hit his first grand slam for the Marlins, who blew a 5-1 lead. The game drew 14,749, many of them cheering for the Mets.

New York’s first five batters in the sixth reached on hits to knock out Andy Larkin (2-5).

“We’re starting kids and bringing in kids,” Manager Jim Leyland said. “It’s tough. We’re paying a price for inexperience.”

Todd Dunwoody tripled and scored on Edgar Renteria’s single in the Florida fifth. Mark Kotsay tripled and came home on a groundout in the eighth.

Four of the Mets’ first five batters reached base in the opening inning, but they scored only once because Piazza grounded into a double play. John Olerud followed with an RBI single.

Atlanta 9, Montreal 3--Javy Lopez hit a grand slam, Denny Neagle won again at home and the Braves routed the Expos, breaking the Atlanta record for victories in May.

The Braves, who have won seven of eight, broke a two-year-old Atlanta record by improving to 20-5 this month. They also matched the Atlanta mark for wins in any month.

“I’ll take 20 wins every month,” Braves’ third baseman Chipper Jones said. “You’ll have a pretty good season if you win 20 games every month.”

Lopez’s 12th homer came in the seventh, capping a five-run inning that turned the game into a rout. Andres Galarraga also homered for the Braves, a two-run drive in the first.

“I’m really surprised when we lose,” Galarraga said. “I don’t want to sound cocky or say anything, but as soon as you get to the park you look at the lineup, you see one of the best pitchers and you have a good feeling about winning the game.”

Atlanta increased the lead to 4-1 on run-scoring doubles by Chipper Jones in the fifth and Andruw Jones in the sixth, and the Braves blew it open in the seventh against Marc Valdes. Galarraga picked up his third RBI of the night with a bloop single before Lopez cleared the bases with the second grand slam of his career.

Neagle (7-1) yielded seven hits in seven innings, improving to 15-1 at Turner Field and 16-1 in home games since he joined the Braves in 1996. Going back to his tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Neagle is 30-3 in 52 home starts since the beginning of 1995.

Neagle pitched well despite arriving at the park with a stomach ache and fouling a ball off his right foot in the fifth.

“I feel like I’m right on pace to do what I did last year,” said Neagle, a 20-game winner in 1997. “If I duplicate last season, I’ll be more than happy.”

San Diego 12, Arizona 1--Ken Caminiti drove in four runs and sparked a five-run third inning with a double as the Padres defeated Arizona at Phoenix to end their season-high three-game losing streak.

Ruben Rivera had a two-run triple in the third, and hit a solo homer in the ninth on Efrain Valdez’s first major league pitch in almost seven years.

Kevin Brown (4-3) went eight innings, giving up one run and nine hits.

Caminiti, playing only his fourth game since missing 21 in a row because of a strained thigh, had a sacrifice fly in the first and a three-run double in the fifth. Ed Giovanola, who pinch-ran for Caminiti after the double and then replaced him at third base, scored on Greg Vaughn’s RBI single to make the score 11-0.

Milwaukee 3, Pittsburgh 2--Jose Valentin, who struck out his first three times, hit a two-run single in the ninth inning at Milwaukee to help end a five-game losing streak.

The Brewers, 0-20 when trailing after eight innings, began the winning rally with a single by pinch-hitter Bob Hamelin, who then was lifted for pinch-runner Darrin Jackson.

With one out, Geoff Jenkins singled and Mike Matheny was hit in the face by a fastball from closer Rich Loiselle.

Matheny spat blood but walked off on his own, with backup catcher Bobby Hughes pinch-running for him.

Valentin then sent a 2-and-1 fastball into the gap in right-center to hand Loiselle (1-4) the loss and Mike Myers (2-0), who faced one batter in the ninth, the victory.