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NEW YORK(AP)
Daniel Murphy
hit a game-ending RBI single in the ninth inning, and all anybody wanted to talk about was
David Wright
.
Sorry, Murph. Even that's not enough to get some attention.
Murphy drove in
Jeff Francoeur
to give the
New York Mets
a 3-2 victory over the
San Francisco Giants
on Sunday, just before learning their All-Star third baseman was headed for the disabled list with symptoms from the concussion
he sustained the previous day.
''Nobody wants to ask me about Murphy's game-winning hit?'' manager
Jerry Manuel
said, standing up after fielding a series of questions about Wright. ''You guys are really bad.''
Luis Castillo
tried to make up for Wright's absence with a rare two-run homer, and All-Star closer
Francisco Rodriguez
(3-4) struck out the side in the ninth to earn the win. K-Rod allowed
Bengie Molina
's winning homer in the 10th inning on Saturday.
''Every time you get a W,'' Murphy said simply, ''it feels good.''
Castillo connected with two outs in the fifth inning off
Jonathan Sanchez
for his first homer since May 30, 2008, at Shea Stadium. Left fielder
Fred Lewis
barely turned around to watch the ball land in the second deck of spacious Citi Field, giving New York a 2-1 lead.
The Giants tied it in the eighth before the Mets put together their winning rally.
Francoeur opened the ninth with a single off
Sergio Romo
(3-2) deep into the hole at shortstop, hustling down the line to beat the throw to first.
Fernando Tatis
followed with a perfect sacrifice, and Murphy roped a clean single off
Jeremy Affeldt
to right field.
''I just hung a curveball and he hit it,'' Affeldt said.
Not known for his speed, Francoeur trundled around third and slid in just ahead of the tag from catcher
Eli Whiteside
, with veteran umpire Jerry Crawford signaling him safe.
''I think Jerry was so tired by then,'' Francoeur said, ''if I was anywhere close I was going to be safe.''
Despite their best efforts to make light of the afternoon, the Mets were still somewhat subdued about 18 hours after Wright
was hit in the helmet by a 94 mph fastball from the Giants'
Matt Cain
. Wright was taken to the hospital for a CT scan, which came back negative, and kept overnight for observation before being
released Sunday morning.
General manager Omar Minaya announced after the game that Wright was going on the DL.
''David wanted to take a chance to go out and play, but we decided to take it away from him and DL him based on the recommendation
of our doctors who consulted with a specialist,'' Minaya said. ''It's a medical decision.''
Mets starter
Mike Pelfrey
and his counterpart Sanchez matched each other nearly pitch for pitch most of the afternoon, and neither got anything to show
for it.
Pelfrey allowed two runs and five hits over 7 1-3 innings, striking out eight in another strong start against the Giants.
The big right-hander has allowed only four runs in three tries against them covering 20 1-3 innings, but has just one win.
Sanchez worked around four walks and four hits to last seven innings. He struck out seven and still has only one victory in
13 road starts.
He helped himself in the fifth, advancing Whiteside with a sacrifice before
Eugenio Velez
hit a two-out single through the left side of the infield to give San Francisco a 1-0 lead.
Pelfrey cruised after that, retiring eight straight batters before the Giants rallied to tie it at 2. Velez hit a two-out
double in the eighth and slumping
Randy Winn
followed with an RBI double. After an intentional walk to
Pablo Sandoval
and a carousel of pinch hitters and pitching changes,
Pedro Feliciano
stopped the threat by getting
Ryan Garko
to line out.
''You play this game long enough, it's going to happen, you know?'' Garko said of his hot shot right at second baseman Castillo.
''What can you do?''
NOTES: The Mets promoted INF
Andy Green
from Triple-A Buffalo to take Wright's place on the roster. ... Giants 3B Sandoval ran into the railing of the camera pit
near the dugout chasing a foul ball in the eighth. He was tended to by trainers but remained in the game. ... Pelfrey has
won only once since July 12. ... Mets RHP
Livan Hernandez
faces Giants RHP
Joe Martinez
in the series finale Monday.
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