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Try, try again Hard-luck Leiter remains winless in postseason
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Another strong October start by Al Leiter got turned into a no-decision by his bullpen. Leiter, winless in nine postseason starts, once again had nothing to show for his work, even though the New York Mets took control of the NL Championship Series with a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night. "I kept my team in it," Leiter said. "I can't be too disappointed in that." The Mets lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 and might not have to leave New York again. If they can win two of three at home this weekend and the Yankees knock out Seattle in the ALCS, the only trip left for the Mets will be on a bus between Shea and Yankee stadiums. "To get out of here up 2-0 and going back to our place is a good feeling," Leiter said. Leiter allowed three runs, eight hits and no walks in seven innings, striking out nine. But he could only sit and watch from the dugout as the Cardinals tied the game in the eighth off John Franco and Turk Wendell and his teammates won it with yet another rally in the ninth. Seven of the Mets' 10 playoff wins over the last two seasons have come in their final at-bat -- including three this season. "My stomach is killing me," Leiter said. "When you win a game like this it is very exciting. Certainly as a member of the winning team it is great." Leiter's postseason history had been plagued with bad luck and bad outings. Some games were blown by the bullpen, others by poor fielding or lack of hitting. And some by his own struggles. But the constant was Leiter couldn't win what he started. It looked like he would twice in this game, but he couldn't hold a 3-1 lead in the fifth and the bullpen couldn't hold on in the eighth. "One thing you know for sure is that you're going to be in the game with Al on the mound," said Jay Payton, who won the game with an RBI single in the ninth. "He kept us in the game and did his job. We just had to score a few extra runs in the end." Leiter is 0-2 as a starter in the postseason. His only postseason win came in relief in the 1993 World Series for Toronto. He took a 4-1 lead into the ninth inning in Game 2 against San Francisco in the first round, but lost a chance for the win when J.T. Snow hit a three-run homer off Armando Benitez. He dropped a 1-0 decision to Atlanta in Game 3 of the NLCS last season, allowing only an unearned run in the first inning. "I'd like to see a blowout once in a while," he said. As Timo Perez scored the go-ahead run from first for the Mets in the eighth inning, Leiter screamed encouragement from the dugout, the win in his grasp. Todd Zeile added an RBI single and a 5-3 lead looked safe with the Mets' strong bullpen ready to close. But Franco and Wendell, reliable all season long, couldn't do the job. Franco threw a run-scoring wild pitch and Wendell gave up an RBI double to pinch-hitter J.D. Drew. Leiter might not be the winner, but he is going home with his team up 2-0. "It's not over yet," he cautioned.
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