Haren Leads Dodgers Past Hapless Mets, 6-2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dan Haren overcame a lead-off homer by Curtis Granderson and a pair of failed sacrifice bunt attempts to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the error-prone New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night.
Haren (11-10) allowed a run and three hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking none. The victory was his third in four starts after going 0-5 with a 10.03 ERA in his previous five outings.
The NL West-leading Dodgers maintained their 3½-game lead over San Francisco.
Jonathon Niese (7-9) allowed five runs — two earned — eight hits, and three walks in 6 2-3 innings. The unearned runs were the result of a throwing error by shortstop Wilmer Flores on a routine grounder by Adrian Gonzalez. It was one of four Mets errors, matching a season high.
The Dodgers got their first two batters on in the third inning before Haren bunted into a double play started by Niese. But Dee Gordon slapped an opposite-field RBI single inside third to tie it 1-1.
Haren came up again in the fifth with runners at the corners, and tried a suicide squeeze. Haren bunted through an 0-1 pitch, and Justin Turner was erased in a rundown at third, but Haren then singled to drive in Erisbel Arruebarrena and give Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
Gordon hit his major league-leading 11th triple with two out in the seventh and scored on Flores' second error of the game. Carlos Torres relieved Niese, and Matt Kemp greeted him with a two-run double to make it 5-1.
Until then, Mets relievers had stranded 132 of 166 inherited runners (79.5 percent), the best in the majors.
Granderson drove Haren's third pitch into the Mets bullpen in right field for his 28th career lead-off homer and fourth this season — the most by a Mets player since Jose Reyes had four in 2008.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Closer Jenrry Mejia, who was held back from a save situation Wednesday at Oakland because of a sore back, was the first Mets player out on the field to do running and was available if needed, manager Terry Collins said.
Dodgers: There have been no setbacks in the rehab programs for SS Hanley Ramirez (right oblique), 3B Juan Uribe (right hamstring), LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (right hip), and LHP Paco Rodriguez (back). Ramirez could be activated from the DL on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Mets: Rookie Jacob deGrom (6-5, 2.87 ERA) will be reinstated from the disabled list and make his first start since Aug. 7, after being sidelined with rotator cuff tendinitis. He gave up three home runs to the Dodgers in a 4-3 home loss on May 21, but has yielded just one homer in 69 1-3 innings over his last 11 starts. He is 5-0 with a 1.55 ERA in his last six outings.
Dodgers: Zack Greinke (12-8, 2.75 ERA) pitches on seven days' rest after being pushed back two days because of elbow discomfort. He will try to avoid losing three consecutive decisions for the first time since June 8, 2010, with Kansas City, when he dropped four starts in a row.
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