BC-BBN–Dodgers-Mets,0552

Mets 9, Dodgers 2

By BEN WALKER

AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) – Gerald Williams singled twice in a six-run first inning and the New York Mets broke out of their offensive funk in a big way, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-2 Friday night to end a five-game losing streak.

Tom Glavine hit an RBI single during the early burst and coasted to his 260th career win. Dodgers starter Wilson Alvarez came out in the second inning with a bruised left forearm after being struck by Cliff Floyd’s hard one-hopper.

The Mets were coming off a four-game sweep in which San Diego held them to a total of eight runs. They exceeded that against the NL West-leading Dodgers, and everything they hit in the first inning seemed to fall in.

The Dodgers lead the majors in fielding, yet saw Floyd’s liner glance off shortstop Cesar Izturis’ glove for an RBI single, then watched Glavine’s grounder bounce off third baseman Adrian Beltre’s mitt for another hit.

That was plenty for Glavine (9-10) to win for only the second time in 12 starts. He pitched six effective innings for his first victory since losing two front teeth in a taxi accident earlier this month.

Rookie David Wright drove in three runs and Eric Valent launched his third pinch-hit homer of the season as the Mets avoided their longest losing streak of the year. Pinch-hitter Jayson Werth homered as the Dodgers dropped to 2-3 on their season-long 13-game road trip.

Williams hit a leadoff single in the first, Todd Zeile singled with one out and Floyd’s liner made it 1-0. Mike Cameron followed with an RBI double off the wall and Wright neatly went the opposite way for a two-run single.

An intentional walk to Wilson Delgado with two outs brought up Glavine, and he singled off Beltre’s lunge for another run. Williams capped the surge with an RBI single off Alvarez (7-5).

Alvarez’s evening ended the next inning when he was nailed by Floyd’s comebacker. The ball caromed into right field for a single and Alvarez immediately dropped his glove and grabbed his arm.

Manager Jim Tracy, a trainer and several Dodgers infielders went to the mound, and Elmer Dessens was summoned from the bullpen.

It was the second straight start in which Alvarez left after 1 1-3 innings. Last Sunday, Atlanta tagged him for seven runs and eight hits.

Glavine gave up seven hits and left after David Ross singled to open the seventh. Werth connected for the first pinch-hit homer of his career in the fifth.

Mike DeJean relieved Glavine and pitched a scoreless inning in his first appearance since being hit in the lower right leg by a line drive on Aug. 19.

The Mets added three runs in the seventh on an RBI double by Wright and a two-run homer by Valent.

Notes: Glavine improved to 18-18 lifetime against Los Angeles. His former team, Atlanta, is the only NL club that he has a losing record against. … Williams became the first Mets player to get two hits in an inning since Jeromy Burnitz on June 3, 2003. Maybe Williams had an edge – he had 26 lifetime at-bats against Alvarez, almost as many as the rest of the active Mets combined. … RF Shawn Green made the Dodgers’ 57th error, still the lowest total in the majors.

AP-ES-08-27-04 2221EDT