Cardinals Slug Their Way Into World Series - Baseball

MILWAUKEE - The boom started early. In the first three rounds of the game in the series of six national championships at Miller Park, the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers combined for six home runs (a major league record in the playoffs) and 13 tracks for drive the two starting pitchers in haste remarkable even for this series.

Shaun Marcum Milwaukee? Ended after a run and four runs. Edwin Jackson of the Cardinals? From a hitter after allowing three points at home in straight sets. The ball bounces here often when the roof is closed, as it was Sunday night, but it was extraordinary.

When things calmed down, St. Louis led by five points. The rest of the clinching 12-6 victory for the Cardinals proved stressful for another year Manager Tony La Russa, who broke his own record for the NLCS pitching changes while watching its magnificent enclosure only allow two runs and three hits over the last seven rounds - a quality start in reverse.

La Russa called relievers so often in this series they have worked more games (282 / 3 innings) than its parts (241 / 3). Only Chris Carpenter in Game 3, planted as far back as five innings. 28 The change was one of more than Russia did in seven games against Atlanta in 1996.

The bullpen held batters to an average 0155 while compiling a 1.88 ERA Still, La Russa said he never relaxed until Jason Motte, the last of six launchers St. Louis, struck by Mark Kotsay batter swinging on a 99-mile an hour fastball to end it. Motte, then opened his arms to accept a hug and a lift from catcher Yadier Molina.

"It was 12-6, and I was sweating bullets," La Russa said the Cardinals clubhouse Champagne-soaked while Motte has accepted a shower of beer close to several teammates. "Brewers are very dangerous. Not fun. All three outs you are an ordeal, and that's what you're up against when you play them. "

Milwaukee hopes to expand the series to Miller Park, where he led the majors with 57 victories. But another poor start by Marcum, who finished the series 0-3 with a 14.90 ERA, and negligence in the field doomed the Brewers in their first round of league championship in 29 years. Milwaukee has committed three errors, all in one round, giving them seven in two games and a record 10-link in the series.

David Freese, baseman Young Cardinals third party who has persevered through two years of ankle problems, slugged a three-run homer in the first inning and hit 0545 in the series to win the MVP award. He needed a triple for the cycle when La Russa was removed in a double switch in the eighth.

"Not too many people the chance to do so in their hometown," said Freese, who grew up in Wildwood, Mo. "It's an incredible feeling."

Almost from the minute the Brewers have lost Game 5 in St. Louis, Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke has vigorously defended his selection of Marcum for Game 6, even if No. 5 starter Chris Narveson had a 1.20 ERA in 15 rounds against the Cardinals this season. He refused to consider as Yovani Gallardo on three days rest, preferring to retain it possible for a game 7.

After the game, Roenicke stuck by his choice. "I know it was the right decision," he said. "I'm not second-guess anything there."

Two first round by the Brewers mistakes Marcum injured. Jon Jay should have been out stealing second with Albert Pujols, catcher Jonathan Lucroy but Weeks bounced throws and second baseman Rickie could not do it. Pujols drew a full count walk before Lance Berkman lined an RBI single to center. Berkman moved to take second when center fielder Nyjer Morgan passed the third man to break.

Marcum pounced on Matt Holliday firecracker and shoveled Lucroy with his glove to get Pujols. But he hung on the ground next to Freese, who homered to left for a 4-0 lead.

Rush continued feeding in the first Milwaukee, with the leadoff batter Corey Hart homering. Roenicke brought Narveson to relieve Marcum and it was not much better, allowing five runs in a run and two-thirds. Rafael Furcal homered in the second to St. Louis, but Jackson gave up two more, a solo shot Weeks and two points Lucroy. This is a unique game run and kept the crowd of 43,926 engaged.

Pujols is 6-4 for the conduct of his second homer of the series so far into the second deck in left field in the third when he stopped a few seconds to admire it. The Cardinals went on to load the bases against the Narveson left and scored on another sacrifice fly by Nick Punto.

With a chance to break open, La Russa sent the right-handed-hitter Allen Craig hit for Jackson ineffective. The right-hander LaTroy Hawkins relieved, and Craig Land a two-run single through the middle for a lead of 9-4.

The Cardinal bullpen finished out there.

Fernando Salas gave up Yuniesky Betancourt run double scoring two more runs. The left-hander Mark Rzepczynski, normally a specialist or a two-batter, went twice and third rounds and allocated a point before Octavio Dotel, Lance Lynn and Motte combined with the retirement of eight of nine batters. The Cardinals would add two points plotted on three Brewer errors in the fifth, two on one play by third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr., and a run-scoring single by Pujols in the eighth.

"We could not get their bullpen," said Roenicke.

Following Coaches’ Orders, Giants Produce Closing Kick Against Bills - Pro Football

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - At the end of each practice Giants, like the drooping shoulders of the players and their legs are trailing, a familiar refrain can be heard from the coaching staff.

Coaches scream: It is now the fourth quarter. This is the end. We can not lose the fourth quarter. We can not. We have to finish.

"It was something since returning to training camp," said Hakeem Nicks wide receiver.

Tight end Jake Ballard saved Nicks. "It is common ground," said Ballard. "Finish. Finish. Finish. Finish the game, they will not let us relax at the end of practice at all. This is a top priority. And the more we do, especially in games, we are more comfortable when things get tight. "

Ballard conceded that fans might not be as comfortable with the emotional fluctuations at high pressure, but the Giants players, at least, appear to be more comfortable in the fourth quarter. Their 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday was the Giants' fifth game this season where they had a car for the fourth quarter that could tie the game or put forward, and their fourth consecutive game in which the decisive score came with nine minutes or less remaining. The Giants (4-2) have won three of four.

Sunday version of the drama end-game features two important interceptions by Corey Webster Giants cornerback, a career day from running back Ahmad Bradshaw, and an unflappable performance of Eli Manning, who has not launched an interception against a team legislation that came into the game as the league leaders in turnovers forced.

"We tried to finish and win the battle for the fourth quarter," said Webster. "We did exactly that."

With the score tied, 24-24, and the Bills lead with four minutes, a reprisal of the disappointing defeat last week in Seattle seemed more likely. The Bills had a first down at the Giants 27, when the receiver Stevie Johnson made a rapid movement to the line of scrimmage and got a step on Webster as he ran down the sideline.

It was a difficult day for most Webster. He missed a tackle important, lagged behind the guarantees spend more now seemed a step slow on what appeared to be a win for the Bills.

As the ball began to fall to Johnson, however, Webster accelerated. And as Johnson reached high to pull it into the hands of Webster went higher. He cradled the ball as he fell to the ground five yards in the Giants line, standing even as Johnson pulled his mask on the side.

It was the second interception of the game Webster (he also intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick earlier in the quarter), and he pranced on the sideline with glee. A few minutes later he was joined in the celebration by the rest of his teammates. Manning led the Giants down the field for the kick-off score, with the aim of Lawrence Tynes field for 23 yards with less than two minutes to provide the final margin.

It was an important victory for the Giants, who, with a week off, have two weeks to enjoy it. With the sting of last Sunday's loss, persistent, and another series of defensive injuries sidelined captain Justin Tuck, right guard Chris Snee Pro Bowl running back and backup Brandon Jacobs, the Giants would have have easily slipped back against the surprising Bills (4-2). Before the interception of Webster, he looked as if they could.

Instead, the Giants escaped with a win on a day when Bradshaw scored three touchdowns career-high 292 yards past Manning and the defense rallied to a terrible start to stand firm when the Giants needed it most.

Bradshaw was the finisher for many of the game, diving into the end zone from 1 yard on three occasions. When Bradshaw broke a run of 30 yards to put the Giants in field goal range on the final disc, it gave the Giants their first 100-yard rusher of the season (he finished with 104) - not a mean feat given the offensive line has been operating with the backup Kevin Boothe in place of Snee.

"We knew if we kept pushing a little harder, we get there," left tackle Dave Diehl said. "Today was a total group effort."

Stop the race was also a problem for the Giants, and much was made of the connection defensive coordinator Perry Fewell of the Bills. Fewell spent four years coaching in Buffalo and was the interim head coach for the last seven games of the 2009 season.

Buffalo coach Chan Gailey was concerned about the familiarity of Fewell with the Bills, but the greatest attention in the accumulation Fewell was on his own team. The Giants entered having allowed an average of 159.3 rushing yards a game over the past three weeks, an alarming number because the bills running back Fred Jackson has averaged 96 yards per game on his own.

From the beginning, it was as if nothing had changed. After the Giants went ahead with five minutes remaining in the first quarter on the first partition Bradshaw, Jackson immediately responded with a touchdown run of 80 yards. Linebacker Michael Boley do not fill a hole, safety Deon Grant took a poor angle and cornerback Aaron Ross could not make a tackle saving touchdown.

The Giants defense followed by taking another shot, as Fitzpatrick is the receiver Naaman Roosevelt for a touchdown from 60 yards catch-and-run, just before the end of the first quarter. This time, it was Webster and backup cornerback Justin Tryon sharing the role of the hapless would-be tackler, and coach Tom Coughlin had a stunned look on his face that the balls in the zone.

"We could have let these two parts to determine the outcome of the game, but we do not," Antrel Rolle said security. "We played hard."

They do. After struggling for the first quarter, the Giants defense held Jackson to 39 yards rushing in the rest of the game, limited to 130 passing yards Fitzpatrick in the second half and does not allow the Bills to even get a first test drive their final match. When Fitzpatrick fourth down pass fell incomplete with 59 seconds left, the Giants had sealed a victory that fit well alongside their thrilling victory over Philadelphia and Arizona.

"It was about fighting," said Coughlin. "We knew it would be a 60 minute game."

With these giants, it seems as if it still is.

Serena Williams wins emotional return - Tennis

WIMBLEDON, England - his first match in a Grand Slam tournament in nearly a year was over, and Serena Williams was crying as she waved to the crowd Wimbledon, weeping into her napkin, crying as she left one of the jurisdictions in which it has defined his career and has refined its intimidating.

But these were not tears of farewell or disappointment. They were tears of release and relief after a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 Aravane Rezai victory on Tuesday in the first round and after a year of major health problems and serious doubts about whether Williams back into the game.

"It was certainly very emotional for me because throughout the last 12 months that I lived, you know, a lot of things that are not normal things you guys do not even know about," said Williams said. "So it's just a long and arduous. To raise is still quite impressive. "

The last time Williams played on center court at Wimbledon was last July when she beat Vera Zvonareva in straight sets to win his fourth Wimbledon singles title and 13th Grand Slam singles title.

But Williams then missed 11 months of competition after two operations to repair a torn tendon in his right foot and then the hospital to recover from blood clots in his lungs and a hematoma that required emergency treatment.

She said she feared for her life at a time, but she also said she was still determined to return to the sport she dominated intermittently since the early 2000s. After Williams began practicing again in April, she returned to the circuit for the tournament in Eastbourne grass-court last week and lost the second round in three sets to Zvonareva.

On Tuesday, at the age of 29 and ranked seventh, she returned to Grand Slam action against Rezai, an unseeded French player with remarkable power that has modeled his game on Williams and her older sister Venus.

While Serena Williams struggled at times with his movement, his first-served consistency and her return, she also showed frequent lightning vintage Williams forehand winners tear extension and ending with 13 aces, including one on last point that its reduced to tears.

"It was a year of disaster, but you know I was praying and I have my family and I love tennis, and being able to return to Wimbledon is pretty impressive," said Williams . "I did not expect to play. I'm just happy. I've never cried with joy for nothing."

Williams will now face seeded Simona Halep of Romania, who is ranked 58th in the second round, which is scheduled for Thursday. Williams was pushed to three sets of three matches since his return. It is definitely rusty, but definitely dangerous, too.

"I was really impressed, and I think she can come back even stronger than before," said Rezai. "I do not know what she will do during the tournament, but I think it can go a long way."

Williams, by his own admission, with the extra weight. She resumed full practice about four weeks ago and stopped taking regular medication anticoagulants only three weeks ago. She said she also had a cold.

But endurance is less about on the grass than on other surfaces, because the points are generally shorter, and serve as Williams can do more damage. It is also an area - with low bounce and only feeling - that often rewards experienced players.

"It would be stupid enough not to count as one of the top three favorites here," said Lindsay Davenport, a former rival of Williams, who was a commentator for Tuesday's game on TV BBC.

Venus Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion in singles who returned to Eastbourne after a layoff of five months, also won his first round match here and will face Kimiko Date Krumm, one 40 years from Japan on Wednesday. The sisters are in opposite halves of the draw and did not play doubles together this year to conserve energy.

"I just wanted to win at least one game, seeing that I do not play doubles," said Serena Williams. "It was a great victory for me."

Rezai, a girl of 24, of Iranian parents who immigrated to France, is one of the few players on the circuit who can match the power base of Williams off both wings.

His career unconventional and rising modest means were also some similarities with the path of Williams. " His father, Arsalan, a soccer goalkeeper ancient Iran, decided early that she would become a tennis champion, and although Arsalan had little background in tennis, he studied books and videos learn the game and technique. It has long cited the Williams family as a source of inspiration.

Well Behind the Leader, an Exciting Tournament Takes Shape - Golf

BETHESDA, Md. - When the time came on the back nine Saturday to Rory McIlroy put a little walk from all the talk, take a few steps on the narrow path to the history of the United States Open, he delivered so golfers who make the majors do.

Coming off a bogey and facing the prospect of another, with his ball sitting 187 yards from the hole in the deep rough left of the fairway 11, McIlroy hit one of the purest shots he - or anyone for other - could have affected moisture, matted grass.

Ignoring the pond on the right and a deep bunker on the left, McIlroy sent a 7-iron shot on the flag, stopping 12 feet past. His birdie went right in the middle, and McIlroy, 22, showed some emotion, cutting loose with a hard right hand, cut a hole in the air and sending a message to the rest of the field at Congressional Country Club.

If no other player hoping to win, they will pick him because McIlroy is not back.

He added another birdie to go with from two to nine before a round of three-under 68 that gave him a 14-under 199 and widened his lead to eight after three rounds of shots YE Yang, who played 70 .

McIlroy 54-hole total is one stroke better than the record U.S. Open set by Jim Furyk at Olympia Fields in 2003 in his victory. It is neither here nor there at this time for McIlroy, who focuses solely on the task at hand.

"I expected some pressure today and there were some," said McIlroy. "But I felt I dealt with it well. In the position I am, you can not complacent - no lead is big enough. I tried to set targets by little, small goals.

"To bounce back on 11 was huge for me. This is one of the toughest holes on the course, and when you birdie that you feel as if you pick up a ball and a half on the ground. It was important for me to birdie it and kept my momentum for most of the back nine. "

McIlroy will catch a daunting task. Pursuers will come from nearby, such as Yang, by far, as Jason Day of Australia and Lee Westwood of England. Westwood shot a 65, his lowest score in 14 years to play the U.S. Open or any major championship. It is nine strokes behind, tied with Day and the American Robert Garrigus.

"It's hard to play with a big lead," said Westwood, sounding the hope that McIlroy would give up some ground coming in. "He had a big lead in a large and did not deal with him before.

"There is pressure on him regarding this. So we'll see. All I can do is control my game and try to shoot a score as low as possible for me. "

For Westwood or anyone else to have a chance, McIlroy will make more errors in the final round than he has in the previous three. His mistakes to date: a double bogey at once in the water at the 18th hole Friday and one bogey default up and down to 10th on Saturday. The odds are long on shooting him 43 on the back nine Sunday to Congress, as he did at the master heading for a final round 80.

"Yeah, I think the experience I had in Augusta, I now know how to approach tomorrow," said McIlroy. "I think it's the most important thing. I feel like I know what I should do tomorrow."

A golfer who knows the champion McIlroy is open, Graeme McDowell, a fellow Northern Irish. McDowell said he thought McIlroy resist the pressure very well.

"I played great golf with Rory, I played a lot of practice rounds with him, and I got to know very well the last three or four years," McDowell said after shooting a 69. "I said several times that he is one of the most phenomenal players I've ever seen. It can be, hands down, the best player I've ever seen hit a golf ball.

"This is a phenomenon. Obviously we were disappointed for him at Augusta. What did this week was an accident waiting to happen. He was threatened to do this for many years, and c ' is just great to see him fulfill his potential. "

Matt Kuchar, who shot a 69, could not but admire the show set up by McIlroy, this week, and immediately after the Masters.

"This is certainly a great story," said Kuchar. "This is something that you feel for a guy to have what happened to him at the Masters, and you would like to see a guy like that bounce. It looked like the next week, I can not remember where he played in Europe, but it seemed he rebounded pretty well, had a good week. What he did here in the U.S. Open is dominant, the impressive work. "

McIlroy said he had work, he was ready to fill. He laughed and put his head in his hands when he learned that Padraig Harrington said McIlroy was not only the next Tiger Woods, but the golfer most likely to first beat the record of Jack Nicklaus's 18 major championships. Woods has 14.

"I'm always looking for my first," said McIlroy, still chuckling. "That's all I can say. I am looking for my first. I put in an excellent position to do tomorrow and then we'll see what happens from there. "

Boston Wins Game 7 on Road for First Cup Since 72 - Hockey

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - For nearly four decadesLink, the Boston Bruins led a losing battle of futility and sorrow. Five times they had reached the Stanley Cup final and had not lifted the silver chalice in triumph. On Wednesday evening, after 39 years, the Bruins became the NHL champions.

Patrice Bergeron scored twice - once shorthanded while being driven along fold Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo - and rookie sensation Brad Marchand added a pair of beauties.

Tim Thomas, the Conn Smythe winner as MVP in the playoffs, the spearhead 4-0 win in Boston over the Canucks in Game 7 to Rogers Arena with a 37-save shutout, his second of the series . Was the first time a road team won a Game 7 shutout in NHL history.

The 6-foot 9-inch defenseman Zdeno Chara became the first Bruins captain to lift the Cup since Johnny Bucyk he skated on the ice of Madison Square Garden in 1972.

Finally, the fans cheering Bruins will have a duck boat parade from them, joining their fellow patriots (2001, 2003 and 2004), the Red Sox (2004 and 2007) and Celtics (2008).

The Bruins became the first N.H.L. team win the Stanley Cup with three victories in seven games one year playoff. They beat the Montreal Canadiens in the first round and the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals. They were also the first team to win a road game in this wicked, glittering sets

While the Bruins fans celebrated another continent, Canucks fans looked on in silence stunned before breaking into a brief chant of consolation "Go Canucks Go!"

Tens of thousands of fans watched the Vancouver downtown outdoor screens, 17 years and one day after the Canucks last trip to the finals ended with a Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers. After Wednesday's game, riots broke out. A car and a truck were set ablaze and several fires broke out when police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The riots were similar to the disturbances that broke out in Vancouver in 1994 after the Canucks lost that game 7.

Thomas was magnificent in the playoffs, especially in the playoffs. His first stop in the game 7 to 1 disc designed by Christophe Tanev - was his 762nd in the playoffs, beating the record set by former Vancouver goalie Kirk McLean in 1994.

"It's literally a dream come true," said Thomas. "At 37 years, which may have been my only shot, and I am so happy that I could enjoy it."

Thomas said he told Luongo in the handshake line that "it was a great goalie, just for the record, good work, good year."

Thomas, who grew up poor in Flint, Michigan - his parents pawned their wedding rings to pay the way to school custodian, and at one point that he and his family sold fruit on the roadside for supplement their income - has played for years in the minor leagues (Birmingham, Ala., and Houston) and Europe (Finland and Sweden) before getting a permanent job with the Bruins in 2005.

Now he is recognized as the best goalkeeper in the game. The parents of Thomas joined the Bruins on the ice to celebrate.

Luongo played well at home in the final (two goals in three previous matches) and miserably on the road (15 goals), but he is the victim of sublime objectives of the veteran Bergeron, who has overcome two serious concussions over the seasons and the five -9, Swift-skid ball Marchand aggravation.

Marchand set up the first goal, diving in to claim a loose puck after a faceoff in the first period at the end of Dipsy-doodle Vancouver and along the buffet to be released defenseman Sami Salo and centered the puck in a crowd of four men in the high slot.

Bergeron was among them, and he broke a house fire 14 minutes 37 seconds for his first goal of the series and fifth of the playoffs.

"We saw some videos when they won the Cup back in '70 and '72," said Bergeron. "This means so much to the city of Boston, and that means a lot to us, to know that we are part of that. "

At 12:13 of the second period Marchand dazzled once again, put the puck between the legs of defenseman Kevin Bieksa, racing behind the net and wrap it around the other side on his lapel. The puck trickled in just that Luongo got there.

A Place to Laugh, Cry, Hide, Complain and Verify a Scorecard - Golf

It is called the scoring tent, and there can be no space like it in sports. Although it is sometimes room cabin, cottage or trailer instead, the score is still trying for the station and just steps from the 18th green, where golfers all report directly to the championship after a round of golf U.S. Open and others.

Sequestered in the tent, which may not have windows, some players and officials rules are hidden from view as they check their scorecards. It is part shrine, part of a sanatorium. A stressful round of golf history euphoric or may have just concluded. And the drama may continue.

As Paul Casey, 10th in the world rankings of golf, said Wednesday: "I have often thought the tent should be scoring a padded cell."

When the 111th U.S. Open begins Thursday at Congressional Country Club, hundreds of rounds will be digested inside the tent to score. The opponents will sit shoulder to shoulder after a second event, celebrating or feeling sorry for the odd, yet archaic ceremony to ensure that their scores are correct.

"It's a green room after a performance rather than before," said Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champion. "And you'll see all sorts of human emotions inside. The guys are throwing their scorecards across the room, kicking the table and then suddenly start laughing. Maybe they will bury their heads in their hands. All in the space of a minute.

"It's very much like golf that way. You're on your own even when you're always there with your partners. "

Padraig Harrington, winner in major championship three times, called for the scoring tent as a shelter.

"There are tears of joy and tears of sorrow," said Harrington. "You have been competing in the spotlight for four or five hours, maybe try to win a big tournament, but in this small room as the reality of nature after the house hits. Sometimes you need to absorb the silence. "

Unfortunately, the scoring tent is not always so calm.

"There may be heated altercations," said Casey. "There are insults and accusations. These rules must have bad officials heard all sorts of curse in several languages ​​by now. It can be loud and crazy.

"Of course, sometimes you go out there and the rules officials are sitting there behind the counter in coats and ties and you feel like maybe you've been dragged before the principal. You wonder if maybe you forgot your homework. "

There is a remarkable work to be done inside the tent. One of the unusual things in golf is that the partners hold each other play the score. After one round, the scorecards are exchanged and verified. Caddies will enter the room, as they often keep another scorecard.

The official scorecards were also a band that can be peeled off, each player keeps his own score on this band to compare the score held by its partners. There is a computer screen in the tent with the score of each player that players can see. Finally, the United States Golf Association has a scorer walking with each group of golfers recording every race.

Nevertheless, errors still occur, although rarely, especially in the majors. He was 43 years of Roberto De Vicenzo signed an incorrect scorecard and was denied a chance at a championship Masters

Bernie Loehr, U.S.G.A. executive who has lived in the tent score U.S. Open since 2008, said some golfers will use every available means to ensure that their score is accurate.

"I saw Padraig Harrington check his scorecard in four different ways and then also let me read scores of the computer screen back to him as he checks his scorecard," said Loehr.

Some of the conversation led to the USGA officials are not civil society.

"Guys will come in the tent and growl, as the placement of pin 14 is just ridiculous," said Ogilvy. "The poor guy rules have nothing to do with it, but the guys waited five holes to complain."

Braves Wet Down the Infield, but They Can’t Slow Reyes - Baseball

ATLANTA - For the Atlanta Braves moved into the National League East in 1994, and Bobby Cox began managing against his rival, Bobby Valentine end of the decade, the Braves and the Mets have engaged in fierce competition and creative ploys.

A new chapter began Tuesday night when the Braves in what seemed an obvious attempt to slow down Jose Reyes and the Mets' racing game, the damp earth soaked in the infield at Reyes, for his part, said that he had ever seen.

It was so wet and muddy as Reyes slipped on three occasions. The Mets complained to Major League Baseball because they have examined the conditions of a safety issue, if not a clear tactical advantage for the Braves.

But like any other attempt to stop Reyes this season, it did not work. Reyes was 3 for 5 with two runs scored, hit a run in and two stolen bases to lead the Mets to a 4-3 victory.

"I played many times here," he said, "and it has never been so wet. Not far from there."

Behind Reyes and a great pitching performance by Jon Niese, Mets (33-34) moved a game under 0500 for the third time on their current trip. The Mets also moved beyond the Florida Marlins slump to third place in the East. It is the highest they have been in the rankings since April 10.

Reyes was asked whether he thought the Braves, who are not a running team, had anchored the infield on the goal, and he smiled.

"I do not know," he said. "It was pretty wet. But it is not Citi Field, is Atlanta. They can do whatever they want. As long as it's good to Citi Field. "

Reyes, who leads the major leagues with 34 games and is second MultiHance with a.346 batting average, started the game with a single field center. Braves starter Jair Jurrjens as tried to remove him, Reyes slid dive back to the bag and the umpires forced the Braves grounds crew to make more dirt on the base path to try to dry it.

In his next at-bat in the third inning, Reyes slipped rounding first base and barely scampered back to the bag. Finally, in the seventh, while playing shortstop, he was so much mud on the bottom of its plastic tips that he slipped while meeting bouncer Gonazalez of Alex. He was so off-balance he threw the ball almost straight into the grass.

"Pretty funny, huh," he said, smiling.

It turned out to be funny for the Mets since they won, but there was concern that if the conditions have persisted in the next two games, someone might get hurt. That's why they complained to M.L.B.

The Mets have received a great performance Niese (6-5), who allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. Niese allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts, but he noted that the Mets' bullpen nearly blew his head.

After Niese gave up a run scoring double to David Ross with one out in the seventh, Pedro Beato has been convened. He walked Joe Mather, then manager Terry Collins called Tim Byrdak, who at his best as a Met struck out the pinch hitter Brian McCann and Diory Hernandez.

Jason ISRINGHAUSEN given a solo homer to Dan Uggla in the eighth. The next batter, Chipper Jones, hit a drive to the wall in right that Carlos Beltran snared with a jumping jack, preventing at least a double. Eric Hinske grounded until the end of the eighth, ninth and Francisco Rodriguez acute perfect for his 19th save.

The Mets have played with a lineup stacked with left-handed hitters against Jurrjens, who is hard on right-handed and entered the game with the best earned run average in the majors (1.82). Part of the plan was to leave the evil Jason Bay, a right-handed hitter, the lineup for the fourth time in last nine games. In its place was the left hand-hitting Willie Harris, who came into the game with seven hits in last 14 at-bats against Jurrjens. Harris went 1 for 2 with two walks.

"I'm sure we continue to advance and win baseball games," said Collins. "I'm going when I think Jason is right. We talked, and he understands completely. "