NEW YORK – Tom Glavine pitched effectively into the eighth inning and the New York Mets defeated San Francisco 5-1, sending the Giants to their eighth straight loss.

Mike Cameron homered and Mike Piazza hit a two-run single for the Mets, who have won three in a row and six of eight.

The Giants are on their longest losing streak since also dropping eight straight in May 2000. They finished that season with the best record in baseball.

Glavine (4-5) scattered nine hits over 7 2-3 innings for his 266th win, tying Bob Feller and Eppa Rixley for 32nd on the career list. It was a struggle for the left-hander, who allowed hits in every inning except the seventh but got the big outs when he needed them. He struck out three and walked none.

The Mets took the lead when Cameron, batting .464 against left-handers, hit a 3-1 pitch from Noah Lowry (2-6) for his sixth home run in the first inning.

Moises Alou, who had four hits, tied it in the fourth, hitting the first pitch from Glavine for his 10th homer.

New York went ahead again in the fifth. Jose Reyes opened with a double off the 396-foot sign in left-center. Cameron walked and the runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Carlos Beltran.

Piazza, who had three hits, flicked a single into left on a 3-2 pitch, scoring the runners. After Cliff Floyd singled Piazza to third, David Wright singled for a 4-1 lead, chasing Lowry.

New York added a run in the eighth when Giants reliever Tyler Walker threw away Reyes’ sacrifice bunt for an error.

The Mets used a perfect relay to cut down Deivi Cruz at the plate in the first inning.

With two outs and Cruz on first, Alou doubled into the left-field corner. Cruz ran through a stop sign from third base coach Gene Glynn and was thrown out on the relay from Floyd to Reyes to Piazza.

Lowry opened the third with a double and was sacrificed to third. But Glavine retired Omar Vizquel on a popup and struck out Cruz.

Roberto Hernandez retired Edgardo Alfonzo with two on to end the eighth, and Aaron Heilman worked a scoreless ninth.

Notes: Marlon Anderson got his major league-leading 11th pinch-hit in the eighth for the Mets. … Cameron’s homer was the 28th in the last 26 games for the Mets. … Floyd’s assist in the first inning was his seventh this season. He had been tied for the NL lead with six. … Lowry won his first seven major league decisions, second-best in club history behind Hooks Wiltse, who won his first 12 decisions in 1904. … Mets first baseman Chris Woodward made a sparkling dive to rob Mike Matheny of a hit in the seventh.

AP-ES-06-04-05 1620EDT