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Dodgers hang on to beat Mets

Jul 21, 2012 - 11:15 PM Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Juan Uribe's two-run home run in the ninth inning halted a Mets comeback, and sent Los Angeles to an 8-5 victory in the middle test of a three-game series.

Uribe finished with two hits, three runs scored and four RBI for the Dodgers, who have taken the first two in the set and three straight overall.

James Loney and Matt Kemp added a pair of hits, RBI and run scored each for LA, which had dropped three of four to the Mets in late June at home.

Chris Capuano (10-5) allowed eight hits and three runs with nine strikeouts over seven solid innings for the win.

Ronny Cedeno homered, while Daniel Murphy and Kirk Nieuwenhuis picked up pinch-hit RBIs for the Mets, who have lost eight of their last nine.

"This time of year they all become the most important game each and every day," said Mets manager Terry Collins. "We've struggled. We came back today and made it a game. We gotta keep fighting. The clubhouse is filled with guys that understand that and know ... it's no fun going through what we're going through."

Miguel Batista (1-3) was tagged in defeat for five hits and four runs over three full frames.

Cedeno's homer brought the hosts within 6-3 in the sixth, then Murphy tripled in a run and Nieuwenhuis added an RBI groundout in the eighth to pull the Mets within a run.

But Uribe cleared the wall in left with two down in the ninth off R.A. Dickey to provide a three-run margin for the visitors. The longball came just after Loney kept the inning alive with a base hit.

Kenley Jansen walked two batters with two outs in the home half, but recovered to fan Scott Hairston to end the game and earn his 18th save.

Los Angeles picked up a run in the first as Kemp and Andre Ethier walked and Loney singled in Kemp. The Dodgers went ahead by a 3-0 count in the third on Uribe's two-run double and a Luis Cruz RBI base hit.

"We really jumped on them early and really grinded out some nice at-bats," said Capuano. "It made for some long innings which can be tough sometimes when you're in the dugout for a long time. But I just tried to keep my energy up."

The Mets responded in the home third on back-to-back RBI singles from Hairston and Jason Bay, but Kemp tripled home Adam Kennedy in the fourth and Matt Treanor scored Uribe on a double in the fifth which pushed LA's edge to 6-2.

Game Notes

Uribe's four RBI were his most since similar performances on April 20 and 22, 2011 against the Braves and Cubs, respectively, and his three runs scored were the most since he crossed the plate three times for the Giants against Arizona on May 29, 2010...Prior to the contest, the Mets placed Johan Santana on the 15-day disabled list with a right ankle sprain and recalled pitcher Jeremy Hefner from Triple-A Norfolk.