Griffey Foils Another Chance For Sliding Mets

Ken Griffey Jr. returned to the lineup Monday and hit his 37th homer--a rare left-handed shot off Al Leiter--as the Cincinnati Reds defeated New York, 6-2, at Cincinnati for the Mets’ fourth consecutive loss.

Since catching Atlanta atop the National League East, the Mets have dropped five of six, costing them a chance to open a lead while the Braves have struggled. The Mets, who trail Atlanta by one game, lost three one-run games to St. Louis in the last at-bat before heading to Cincinnati.

Mike Piazza went two for three with a solo homer, his 34th, but the rest of the Met lineup managed only four hits off Elmer Dessens (7-5) and two relievers.

Leiter (14-7), who pitched the Mets to their wild-card playoff win in Cincinnati last October, couldn’t end his team’s September slump. Leiter’s two-hit, 5-0 shutout Oct. 4 at Cinergy Field stands as the only time Cincinnati has been shut out in its last 280 games.

Griffey missed Sunday’s game because of a sore hip. He went one for three with a walk Monday, raising his average to a season-high .265.

The Mets couldn’t catch up after Leiter gave up Griffey’s two-run homer in the first inning, the first left-handed homer off Leiter since May 29. The only other left-handers to homer off Leiter this season are Tony Gwynn and Shawn Green.

St. Louis 4, Montreal 2--Pat Hentgen pitched seven scoreless innings and Edgar Renteria hit a bases-loaded triple to lead the Cardinals at St. Louis.

Hentgen (14-10) gave up seven hits and three walks as St. Louis reached a season-high 21 games over .500. The Cardinals have won 15 of their last 19 and are 4-0 on their homestand.

Renteria’s triple off Javier Vazquez (8-7) came in the fourth inning after a leadoff single by J.D. Drew and walks to Eric Davis and Ray Lankford loaded the bases with two outs.

Colorado 6, Chicago 2--Rookie Juan Pierre went five for five and Todd Walker fell a single short of the cycle in the Rockies’ win at Denver.

Walker, who had three RBIs, and Todd Hollandsworth each homered for the Rockies. Todd Helton was hitless in four at-bats, dropping his major league-leading average to .387.

Helton was hitting .397 a week ago but is three for 20 in his last six games. He is two for 26 against Chicago this season.

Florida 5, Houston 2--Chuck Smith tied his career high with 11 strikeouts, and Preston Wilson drove in three runs in the Marlins’ victory at Houston.

Smith (4-5) allowed five hits and two walks in eight innings. He retired 13 of 14 batters between the first and fifth.

San Diego 4, Milwaukee 3--Tyler Houston’s throwing error on Ruben Rivera’s infield single in the eighth inning led to two runs and helped the Padres rally past the Brewers at San Diego.