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Wolf, Astros shut down Mets

Aug 4, 2008 - 12:02 AM By Andrew Ferraro PA Sports Ticker Contributing Writer

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Thanks to a solid start by Randy Wolf and an effective bullpen, the Houston Astros got their first three-game sweep over the New York Mets in almost 15 years.

Wolf and four relievers combined on a nine-hitter Sunday as the Astros blanked the slumping Mets, 4-0 , at Minute Maid Park .

Houston posted its first three-game sweep of New York since September 6-8, 1993 at its former home, the Houston Astrodome.

Ty Wigginton paced the offense with two hits - a home run and a double - and Hunter Pence added two hits for the Astros, who have won six of their last eight games against the Mets.

Wolf, in just his second start since joining the Astros in a trade from San Diego last month, won his second consecutive start over New York this year. He has not lost to the Mets since May 4, 2005 - a span of six starts.

The left-handed Wolf, who pitched against the Mets regularly while playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, improved to 11-5 all-time against his former NL East rival.

Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado were the lone bright spots for the Mets. The duo combined for five hits, but none of them, however, were for extra bases as New York left the bases loaded twice and a runner on third another time.

New York, which began the day two games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, dropped its fourth straight game and completed a 1-5 road trip.

"For us, it was just poor execution the whole game," Mets third baseman David Wright. "We had several mental mistakes and we just could not see to get the hits we needed with runners in scoring position."

Wolf ran into a high pitch count and was pulled after 96 pitches. In his five innings of work, he gave up six hits, struck out seven, walked three in his best outing since July 8, while pitching for the Padres at home against the Florida Marlins.

"I lost about eight years of my life trying to get through the fourth and fifth innings today, but those were some big situations for this team, and I needed to find a way to get out of them," Wolf said.

"The Mets are a team that can really hit and you don't want to make a mistake. I thought maybe I was too fine, and that might be why I threw so many pitches."

Wigginton, who hit a solo shot to left center in the second, belted a two-out double off Oliver Perez (7-7) in the fourth and scored on a double by Pence.

Darin Erstad then hit a soft liner to left that confused rookie Nick Evans. The ball fell in for a hit and scored Pence, and Humberto Quintero, who entered the game hitting just .200, doubled down the left-field line to give Wolf and the Astros a 4-0 cushion.

"I knew with two outs right there, if we were going to get anything, I really needed to drive a baseball," Wigginton said. "I knew I needed a double there or better and Hunter backed it up with a single for the good lead that we needed. With two outs, you have to find ways to get into scoring position and we did."

Meanwhile, Wolf worked out of bases loaded jams in the fourth and fifth innings.

With one out in the fourth, Wolf struck out Evans and Robinson Cancel to get out of trouble, and then got Fernando Tatis to fly out to deep left to strand three in the fifth.

"In a ballpark such as this, we definitely had our opporutnities today," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "But we did not take advantage of those today. I am still confident that we will turn this thing around. I am hoping this is just a bump and not a hill."

Perez, who entered with a 2.60 ERA during in day games, left after six innings. He gave up four runs on eight hits while striking out three and walking none.

Perez fell to 2-2 all time against the Astros in five career games.