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Perez's arm, bat give Mets decisive win

Jun 14, 2008 - 4:45 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Willie Randolph rarely knows what version of Oliver Perez is going to appear. Fortunately for the New York Mets manager, it was the good one.

Perez tossed seven strong innings and drove in a pair of runs as the Mets posted a much-needed 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in Friday's opener of their interleague series.

The win came hours after Randolph's job status reportedly was based on how the team performed this weekend against Texas. It was the second time in less than a month Randolph had to face that issue, and he responded to it before the Mets scored more than five runs for the just the second time in 10 games.

"The way it's been going, that feels really good," Randolph said of the win. "But Oliver sets the tone and pounds the zone and had a (good) curveball tonight. He just did his job, we scored some runs. It's a big contrast to what's been going on. It just felt like a walk in the park. It's a nice win, but we have to keep going."

"It's nice to have a game where just everything went well," New York's David Wright added. "It's been a while since we played a real good, complete game from the first inning (on), and today was one of those days."

The latest reports regarding Randolph's job came after Billy Wagner blew a pair of saves in a three-game series with Arizona. Wagner was bailed out once as Carlos Beltran homered in the 13th inning Wednesday, but the Mets lost in the 10th on Thursday afternoon after the lefthanded closer gave up two runs in the ninth.

"It's a win, and a win will solve a lot of problems," Wright said of Friday's game. "If we can go on a little hot streak, we won't even have to worry about any of these things that are going on.

"I think that Willie's done a great job of shielding us from all the criticism that's kind of pointed at him. As players, we know we need to go out there and play, and go out there and win, because winning solves a lot of problems."

Randolph faced the prospect of watching another shaky start from Perez (5-4). But the 26-year-old looked more like the pitcher that held the New York Yankees to two runs and three hits in 7 2/3 innings on May 18 and not that one that had gone 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA over his next four outings.

Perez allowed Josh Hamilton's American League-leading 18th home run on an 0-1 fastball that quickly flew over the left field wall with two outs in the first inning. But besides that blast, it was an effective night for the inconsistent lefthander, who yielded just one run and three hits while walking three and matching a season high with eight strikeouts.

"I was just trying to focus on today," Perez said. "We won. That was important for us."

"Oliver can throw," Mets catcher Brian Schneider said. "Tonight, he had his off-speed (stuff) working real well."

Perez also hit a batter but threw 73 of his 116 pitches for strikes. In addition, he helped himself at the plate, delivering a two-run single that capped a four-run sixth inning for New York, which had lost six of its previous seven games.

Jose Reyes went 2-for-4 and scored twice and Endy Chavez added two hits and an RBI for the Mets, who avoided falling four games under .500 for the first time since September 17, 2005.

Reyes singled and scored on Beltran's single in the first inning, tying the game at 1-1. Later in the frame, Beltran came around to score on a throwing error by third baseman German Duran.

Wright made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and the Mets put away the game with their sixth-inning outburst.

Carlos Delgado led off with a double to right and scored when Marlon Anderson snapped an 0-for-25 skid with a base hit to right. Two batters later, Chavez hit a ground-rule double down the right field line, plating Anderson and chasing Texas starter Scott Feldman (1-3).

Perez greeted reliever Josh Rupe with two-run single over a drawn-in infield.

After Hamilton's home run in the first, Perez walked Milton Bradley but settled down thereafter, retiring 12 of the next 13 hitters and working out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by getting David Murphy to strike out on an 81 mile-per-hour slider.

"They were missing sliders, and it was working today," Perez said. "When something works, you keep (going with it)."

Feldman lasted five-plus innings, surrendering seven runs - six earned - eight hits and two walks with one strikeout.

"He struggled to find his rhythm early," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "But I thought he handled himself well. He did what he's supposed to do."

Hamilton recorded two of the three hits by the Rangers, who have dropped two straight following a three-game winning streak.