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Red-hot Sosa cools off Diamondbacks

Jun 2, 2007 - 9:46 PM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Jorge Sosa continued his hot start for the New York Mets and cooled off the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Sosa pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Carlos Delgado and Ruben Gotay homered as the Mets snapped the Diamondbacks' eight-game winning streak with a 7-1 victory on Saturday.

The loss ended Arizona's longest winning streak since a 12-game run in June 2003 and was just its third defeat in 14 games.

"You're going to have a game like this now and then," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "We'll try to start a new one (Sunday)."

Sosa (5-1) has won five of six starts since being called up from Class AAA New Orleans in early May. Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson has played a key part.

"Before I used to throw hard," Sosa said through an interpreter. "After talking to Rick Peterson, it's not how hard you throw, but the command of pitches that you throw."

He left with a two-run lead thanks to a three-run fourth-inning that included a solo blast by Delgado off Livan Hernandez (5-3).

Gotay broke open the game in the seventh with a three-run blast off Juan Cruz.

The 30-year-old Sosa, who won 13 games for the Atlanta Braves in 2005, allowed just one run and five hits with one walk and four strikeouts. His only costly mistake was a home run to Eric Byrnes in the third.

"His command is better," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "He's willing to throw all of his pitches when he's behind in the count."

Randolph lifted Sosa after a two-out walk to Miguel Montero in the seventh. Joe Smith relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo.

Pedro Feliciano struck out Tony Clark with two runners on to end the eighth and closed out the game with a perfect ninth.

The Mets' depleted lineup received a boost when third baseman David Wright returned after sitting out Friday's game with back spasms. Wright was 1-for-3, walked twice and stole a base.

Center fielder Carlos Beltran, however, missed his second straight game with a bruised knee and New York was again forced to use a somewhat depleted lineup.

The lineup was good enough to continue New York's recent domination of the Diamondbacks. The Mets have won 16 of the last 19 meetings.

"We don't know if they have a winning streak or not," said Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who had an RBI triple in the eighth. "We just went out there and played."

Among the key reserves was Gotay, who had three of the Mets' 12 hits.

"It's tough (being a reserve)," Gotay said. "If I play, I'm going to be ready."

New York also tied a club record by playing its 12th straight game without an error, a feat done three times, including last season.

Hernandez (5-3) allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings, throwing 120 pitches.

"I didn't feel too good," Hernandez said. "My shoulder was a little sore and my neck is killing me. I threw too many pitches."

Byrnes hit his club-leading ninth homer in the third to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

The Mets answered with three runs in fourth, beginning with a leadoff home run to right field by Delgado. He had been hitless in 12 at-bats since hitting as game-winning homer against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.

Ramon Castro singled up the middle and went to second on a bloop single to right field by Gotay. David Newhan, making his second straight start, followed with an RBI single. Ben Johnson brought home Gotay with a sacrifice fly.

Reliever Doug Slaten walked Wright and surrendered a double to Delgado in the seventh. One batter later, Gotay hit his second homer.