SAN DIEGO – Bobby Jones’ return to California is more significant than just as a homecoming. If Jones can have his second consecutive good start, then the Mets’ five-man rotation will all be going well.
“Every start is important,” said the 30-year-old Jones, who added his right calf, which had kept him disabled for a month until last Friday’s victory, feels fine. “No start is more important than another.”
But compare Jones’ start tonight to Leiter’s yesterday. Leiter has pitched well all season and the Mets entered 8-0 in his starts. Until Friday, when he held the Diamondbacks to three runs in six-innings, Jones hadn’t won a start in more than a year. The Mets have only won two games in Jones’ spot, the No. 4 position in the rotation, all season.
After only having nine starts last year due to right shoulder problems, Jones enters tonight against the Padres with a 1-1 record and a 10.66 ERA. His parents, wife and children will all be in attendance.
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Mike Hampton, who has allowed just one run in 231/3 innings over his last three starts, said his upper back, which was sore in his last start, feels fine. He will be ready to take his turn Friday in St. Louis. He was told now this would be a relief to Met fans.
“Before [the hot streak] they would’ve said, ‘Yeah, let’s get somebody else in there,'” Hampton said with a smile.
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Todd Pratt, who homered in the second inning yesterday, is 12-for-28 (.429) with two homers and five RBIs in his last seven starts. He also made a splendid catch on a foul pop to the right side in the ninth. The ball appeared to be headed for the seats, but Pratt found a space between the stands and the camera area.
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Pinch-hitter Mark Johnson, a day after making the last out against Trevor Hoffman, yesterday blooped a two-out 10th-inning single to precede Mike Piazza’s game-winner off Hoffman. It was Johnson’s first hit as a Met.
Piazza’s homer was his 13th this season and his third career pinch-hit homer.