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Maine helps Mets crush Athletics

Jun 24, 2007 - 9:06 PM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Some wins are better than others for the New York Mets. Just ask Willie Randolph.

John Maine pitched seven strong innings and recorded his first major league RBI as the Mets scored in each of the first four innings and completed a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 10-2 victory on Sunday.

Jose Valentin hit a three-run homer and Damion Easley had a two-run double for the Mets, who had been 4-14 this month before the Athletics made their first visit to Shea Stadium since playing the New York Yankees here in 1975.

It was a complete effort by the Mets, who made a series of defensive mistakes in a 1-0 win on Saturday night that angered Randolph.

Following Sunday's win, the manager was pleased.

"Like night and day, I'll say today was a lot better than last night," Randolph said. "We still have a lot of payback to do."

The Mets recorded their first interleague series sweep since July 2004 when they won three straight over the New York Yankees at Shea Stadium.

New York did it behind the strong pitching of Maine, an offense that exploded for 14 hits and some tidy defense.

"The last few weeks, at least one of the pieces was missing. It's tough to win like that," said Shawn Green, who made a rare start at first base.

Oakland has lost three straight games for the first time since May 20-22 and six of its last eight overall.

"That's a good team over there," Athletics catcher Jason Kendall said. "That's the beauty of this team. This one is over and we come back tomorrow."

Maine (8-4) has regained the form that enabled him to open the season by winning his first five decisions. The righthander has won back-to-back starts for the first time since early May, allowing two runs and five hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

"I don't think I had my best stuff," Maine said. "When you go out and pitch with what you have, it's a learning experience."

One mistake was a one-out homer in the fifth to Jack Cust. It was the first of several hard-hit balls by Oakland, including a fly by Jason Kendall that left fielder Carlos Gomez caught up against the fence.

Maine then settled down, striking out three straight batters spanning the sixth and seventh.

"Obviously, his stuff is there," Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca said. "He's getting better at managing games."

Guillermo Mota pitched the eighth and Scott Schoeneweis worked the ninth.

Oakland starter Joe Kennedy (2-5) lasted just four innings and allowed five runs and eight hits.

The lefthander was in immediate trouble when Mets leadoff hitter Jose Reyes blooped a double down the right field line and came around to score when the throw from Cust sailed past shortstop Bobby Crosby for a two-base error.

"I put a good pitch on him that he fought off and it dropped in. That happens," Kennedy said. "They kept the pressure on me. They play a good National League brand of baseball."

Reyes also had an RBI single in the fourth to score Gomez.

Valentin singled with one out in the second and went to third on a double by Gomez. Maine followed with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Reyes, Valentin and Gomez each had three of the Mets' 14 hits.

Easley doubled over the head of center fielder Mark Kotsay to bring home two runs in the fourth to make it, 4-0. The extra-base hit scored Paul Lo Duca, who singled, and David Wright, who walked.

On a day when Shea Stadium fans were given a bobble head of his likeness, Lo Duca was back in the lineup the night after being ejected following a heated argument with umpire Marvin Hudson. Lo Duca had one hit in four at-bats.

Oakland's Eric Chavez cut the deficit to 5-2 with an infield RBI single in the sixth.

Valentin broke open the game with a three-run homer in the seventh off Jay Marshall. Carlos Beltran added a two-run single in the eighth.