Mets rout Padres

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Posted 7:01AM on Saturday, May 18, 2002

SAN DIEGO - Mike Piazza hit a grand slam to surpass 1,000 RBIs, and Edgardo Alfonzo started a triple play as the New York Mets routed the bumbling San Diego Padres 13-4 Friday night. Piazza's 13th career slam, and first since July 18, 2000, highlighted an eight-run seventh inning and sent the Mets to their highest score this year. It was New York's fourth straight win since dropping eight of nine. The Padres, who led the majors in errors each of the last two seasons, committed a season-high five, three by shortstop Deivi Cruz. New York led the majors with 43 errors coming in, but looked sharp in turning the triple play, from third baseman Alfonzo to second baseman Roberto Alomar to first baseman Mo Vaughn in the bottom of the fifth inning. Alfonzo also had three hits. With runners on first and second in the bottom of the fifth, Wiki Gonzalez hit a sharp grounder to Alfonzo, who took two steps to the bag to force Cruz. Alfonzo threw to Alomar to force Sean Burroughs, and Alomar completed the triple play by throwing to Vaughn. Gonzalez didn't appear to be running full speed until about two-thirds of the way to first, when he suddenly picked up the pace, but it was too late. The Mets' .973 fielding percentage was just above Detroit, which had the worst at .972. It was the ninth triple play in Mets history, and the first since Aug. 5, 1998, against San Francisco. It was the ninth triple play turned against San Diego, the first since Tony Gwynn hit into one July 17, 1995, against Cincinnati. The Mets ripped reliever Jason Boyd for the first seven runs - five earned - in the eighth, on just two hits and four walks. Leadoff hitter Roger Cedeno scored twice in the inning, and Boyd retired just one of his eight batters. Cedeno opened the inning with a walk and was safe at second as Cruz booted Alomar's grounder. Vaughn walked, and Piazza drove a 1-1 pitch an estimated 410 feet over the center-field fence for a 9-1 lead. It was Piazza's ninth homer this season. The Mets piled it on as Rey Ordonez and pinch-hitter Joe McEwing had RBI doubles, winning pitcher Steve Trachsel an RBI single and Cedeno an RBI grounder. The Mets built a 5-1 lead as Alfonzo doubled and scored on Jeromy Burnitz's single in the second, singled and scored in the three-run fourth and hit an RBI double in the fifth. Cedeno hit an RBI double in the fourth, and another run scored on Cruz's bad throw home trying to get Burnitz. San Diego's D'Angelo Jimenez homered leading off the first, his second. Burroughs hit a two-run double and Gonzalez an RBI double in the seventh. Trachsel (3-4) allowed four runs on seven hits in seven innings. San Diego's Jason Middlebrook (0-1), making his first start this season, allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 2-3 innings. He started for Bobby Jones, who went on the disabled list Wednesday. Notes: The eight runs in the seventh tied the most runs the Mets have ever scored in a seventh inning. On April 6, the Mets scored nine runs in the ninth against Atlanta. ... Mets closer Armando Benitez pitched for the first time since May 8. He cut his index finger while closing a clubhouse door May 10.