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Dotel stifles Cubs as Mets stay on Braves' tails
Sat, Jul 24, 4:46:41PM
by Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Rookie Octavio Dotel struck out nine in 7 1-3 strong innings and Robin Ventura's tiebreaking homer gave the New York Mets a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Edgardo Alfonzo went 3-for-4 and homered for the Mets, who have won four straight.
Dotel (3-1) gave up only Sammy Sosa's major league-leading 36th home run in the third inning. He allowed five hits and two walks before striking out Sosa with a runner on second and giving way to Dennis Cook in the eighth.
Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 14 chances.
Ventura snapped a 1-all tie when he led off the sixth with his 18th homer off Cubs starter Steve Trachsel (3-14), who has just one win in his last 13 decisions.
Trachsel allowed two runs and four hits and six innings, while striking out seven.
Even with newly-acquired starter Kenny Rogers due in New York tomorrow, the 23-year-old Dotel continues to cement his spot in the Mets rotation.
Dotel escaped trouble more than once. In the first, the Cubs loaded the bases before Dotel retired Jose Hernandez on a foul out. In the sixth, Dotel struck out Benito Santiago with runners on second and third.
Sosa's homer, his second in as many games, gave Chicago a 1-0 lead.
Alfonzo, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games, tied it in the fifth with his 14th home run.
Notes: Cubs OF Henry Rodriguez missed the game after re-aggravating a bruised rib during Friday night's 5-4 loss. ... Since May 4, Sosa has 32 homers and 73 RBI's. ... Chicago's Curtis Goodwin went 0-for-3 and is hitless in his last 11 at-bats. ... With a single in the sixth, Cubs first baseman Mark Grace extended his hitting streak to seven games. He needs 14 hits to reach 2,000 for his career. ... The Mets have come from behind in 12 of their last 20 wins.. |
