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Mets down Blue Jays to avoid sweep

May 21, 2012 - 12:36 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - David Wright hit a two-run double, Mike Baxter fell a home run shy of the cycle and the New York Mets survived a late Toronto rally to beat the Blue Jays, 6-5, in the finale of a three-game interleague series at Rogers Centre.

Baxter, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Daniel Murphy and Ike Davis each knocked in a run for the Mets, who led by four on two occasions and overcame a rocky ninth inning by closer Frank Francisco to avoid being swept for the first time by the Blue Jays.

New York starter Dillon Gee (3-3) gave up three runs on five hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings.

"I was proud I at least got into the seventh inning, especially after throwing a lot of pitches in the first couple innings," Gee said.

Jose Bautista homered, singled twice and drove in two runs for Toronto, which had its winning streak snapped at four games.

Henderson Alvarez (3-4) was tagged for six runs on nine hits in five full frames.

After New York failed to score with the bases loaded in the eighth, the Blue Jays trimmed their deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the inning. Reliever Bobby Parnell gave up back-to-back doubles to J.P. Arencibia and Eric Thames to start the frame before Colby Rasmus snapped an 0-for-20 skid with a run- scoring single.

In the ninth, Francisco issued a leadoff walk and a single to Bautista, but the right-hander struck out the next three batters to earn his 10th save of the season.

"Those guys at the back end of their bullpen make their money for a reason," said Arencibia. "[Francisco] at the end of the game punched out the side after the first two batters getting on. He's got good stuff."

Limited to three hits by Brandon Morrow in Saturday's 2-0 loss, the Mets matched that output with a productive first inning.

Alvarez walked Andres Torres to begin the game and gave up back-to-back doubles to Baxter and Wright. The latter was the 1,301st hit of Wright's career, moving him into sole possession of second place on the Mets' all-time hit list. Wright, who didn't play Saturday because of an illness, had been tied with Jose Reyes.

New York added a third run with another double after the next two batters were retired. Nieuwenhuis lifted a fly ball to shallow center field and a charging Rasmus couldn't secure the catch on a diving attempt. The ball came out of his glove after he landed on the turf.

Ronny Cedeno singled to open the second and Baxter plated him with a two-out triple to right field for a 4-0 New York lead.

Yan Gomes drove in Toronto's first run in the bottom of the inning on a single after Gee issued consecutive one-out walks. Bautista clubbed his 11th home run of the season, a leadoff drive inside the left-field foul pole, to close the gap to 4-2 after three frames.

Murphy plated Baxter in the fifth with a grounder up the middle and the Mets extended their lead to 6-2 later in the inning when Davis grounded into fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

Gee's afternoon was done after Bautista plated Gomes with a two-out single.

Game Notes

Ed Kranepool is first on New York's hit list with 1,418...Bautista has hit six homers over his last 10 games...Alvarez had allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his previous five starts...Baxter recorded his second career triple...The Mets placed pitcher Miguel Batista on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a back injury and recalled righty Chris Schwinden from Triple-A Buffalo.