Mets hit 3 homers, surging Niese beats Twins 6-0

[June 28, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Jeff Francoeur and David Wright each hit a two-run homer, and the New York Mets put on an impressive power show at cavernous Citi Field in a 6-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.

Ike Davis also went deep -- very, very deep -- and the Mets racked up 14 hits to back Jonathon Niese's fourth straight win since coming off the disabled list. New York took two of three in an interleague series between playoff contenders, improving to 3-8 in rubber games this season.

Francoeur finished a triple shy of the cycle, emphatically ending a 3-for-22 slide. Wright and Jesus Feliciano also had three hits as the Mets completed interleague play with a 13-5 mark, their most victories against AL teams in one year.

It was Feliciano's second three-hit game in four days while filling in for ailing center fielder Angel Pagan -- who has been subbing for injured Carlos Beltran all season.

New York, second in the NL East, battered starter Scott Baker in winning for the 16th time in 21 games. The Mets also upped their record at home to 28-12 with their 14th victory in 17 games at Citi Field.

Minnesota, clinging to a slim lead in the AL Central, has lost five of six. The Twins, who rested sluggers Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel, completed a 3-6 road trip to three NL cities.

Niese (5-2) used his sharp curve to tame a Twins lineup stacked with seven right-handed hitters -- none of whom had faced him before. The lefty allowed four hits in six-plus innings on a humid afternoon, improving to 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts since returning from a strained right hamstring.

Elmer Dessens, Pedro Feliciano and Bobby Parnell finished the seven-hitter, New York's major league-best 11th shutout of the season.

Francoeur jumped on a hanging slider with two outs in the fourth and drove it to left for his eighth homer, making up for an earlier base-running error. Davis was aboard on a leadoff single.

Niese escaped a jam in the fifth. With runners at second and third, he struck out Baker and retired Denard Span on an easy grounder to end the inning.

New York's offense broke it open in the bottom half, chasing Baker (6-7) with four straight extra-base hits. Jesus Feliciano looped a one-out double and Wright, the NL RBI leader, sent a 1-2 pitch to left for his 14th home run this season and fourth at Citi Field -- two against Minnesota in the past three days.

With his 154th homer, Wright tied Dave Kingman for fourth place on the club's career list.

Davis followed with a colossal shot onto the Shea Bridge, a pedestrian walkway above the back of the bullpens located behind the right-center fence.

Jason Bay tripled, becoming the 10th Canadian-born player to reach 1,000 hits, and Rod Barajas greeted reliever Alex Burnett with an RBI single that made it 6-0.

The Mets hit for the cycle in a span of five batters during a half-inning that lasted 31 minutes.

Baker struck out six but gave up 11 hits, his most since yielding the same amount Sept. 5, 2007, against Cleveland.

NOTES: Michael Cuddyer made his fifth start this season at first base for Minnesota and Jason Repko played right field, his Twins debut after he was called up Thursday from Triple-A Rochester. ... Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said SS J.J. Hardy, on the disabled wrist with a bruised left wrist, could start taking batting practice with the team Monday, then go out on a rehab assignment later in the week that might last three or four days. Gardenhire pointed to a series in Toronto that begins July 6 as a potential return date for Hardy, but injured INF Alexi Casilla (elbow) is further away. ... Pagan (right side) was available off the bench and is expected back in the starting lineup Monday night when New York begins a three-game series against Florida in San Juan, Puerto Rico. ... The Mets think LHP Johan Santana (5-5, 3.55 ERA) has occasionally been tipping his pitches this season, including early in Saturday's 6-0 loss to Minnesota. To alleviate the problem, they've suggested he keep his glove lower when he begins his delivery. It's an adjustment Santana made for a while earlier this year, but manager Jerry Manuel said it wasn't comfortable for the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

[Associated Press; By MIKE FITZPATRICK]

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