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Milledge helps Glavine notch win No. 298 as Mets beat Reds

Jul 15, 2007 - 3:41 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Lastings Milledge was looking for a pitch to hit. Tom Glavine was in the tunnel leading to the clubhouse in search for a spot that would serve as a good-luck charm. Both found what they wanted.

Milledge snapped a tie with an RBI single in the eighth inning to help Glavine record his 298th career victory as the Mets rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.

Thanks to Milledge, Glavine moved within two wins of becoming just the 23rd pitcher with 300 career victories.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner was without a win in his previous two starts and appeared to be headed to a no-decision despite having allowed just one run and two hits with no walks and one strikeout in eight innings.

"It's a team game, but it would have been tough for him not to have a favorable result after pitching a game like that," Mets manager Willie Randolph said.

Shawn Green, who drove in the Mets' first run with a single in the sixth, blooped a two-out double down the left field line off Mike Stanton (1-3).

Milledge, who was called up from the minors earlier in the week following an injury to rookie Carlos Gomez, singled up the middle on the first pitch and Green scored as center fielder Norris Hopper's throw sailed over the head of catcher David Ross.

"I struggled all game trying to find a pitch to hit," Milledge said. "I just wanted a pitch to drive. He missed a spot, and I capitalized on it."

The hit made a winner of Glavine, who has had six no-decisions this season. When Milledge came to the plate, the veteran decided not to look.

"I was hiding in the tunnel, looking for a spot with some runs in it," Glavine joked. "You can only take so much solace in throwing well. I want to win. That's what they pay me to do."

Glavine's next outing is likely to come Thursday in Los Angeles, and his teammates know they are closing in on history.

"Everyone knows it's inevitable if he stays healthy, but we still want to help him get it," Green said.

The Reds lost for just the third time in nine games under interim manager Pete Mackanin, who did not regret his season to pitch to Milledge with the base open instead of pinch hitter Damion Easley.

"I thought about it," Mackanin said. "He hit a ground ball up the middle. I'm fine with the decision I made."

One of the hits allowed by Glavine was the 19th homer of the season by Brandon Phillips, who belted a 2-2 pitch the opposite way over the right-center field wall to lead off the second.

Phillips tied a career high with six RBI on Friday, four of which came on a grand slam.

It was the only baserunner allowed by Glavine over the first six innings. The lefthander retired the next 16 batters before Ken Griffey Jr. singled in the seventh.

"He was nasty," Phillips said. "He had his good stuff and a nasty changeup. He made two mistakes and we got two hits."

Billy Wagner retired the side in order in the ninth for his 19th save in 20 chances.

While Glavine was cruising, Reds starter Matt Belisle was working his way in and out of trouble for most of the night.

The Mets had five hits in the first three innings but failed to score. Three of the hits came in the third, when Jose Reyes was caught stealing and Carlos Delgado flied out to the warning track to end the frame.

New York tied it at 1-1 in the sixth when David Wright singled, stole his 20th base of the season and scored on a broken-bat base hit to right field by Green.

Belisle walked the opposing pitcher and allowed a single by Ruben Gotay in the seventh but escaped unscathed by striking out Carlos Beltran and Wright.

Belisle, who is winless in his last seven starts, allowed one run and nine hits in seven innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

Paul Lo Duca snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a second-inning single and added another base hit in the fourth for New York.

Prior to the game, the Mets honored longtime broadcaster and Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, who has been with the franchise since its inception in 1962.