Mets Snap Winning Streak, Lose To Astros 7-3
HOUSTON (AP) Carlos Lee delivered his 2,000th hit with an RBI single during a four-run first inning, and the Houston Astros went on to beat the New York Mets 7-3 on Saturday.
Lee also hit one of three Astros home runs to snap New York's three-game winning streak. J.A. Happ (3-4) pitched six innings for the win, scattering five hits and three walks.
Michael Bourn tripled to open the game against knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey (1-5) and scored on a groundout by Clint Barmes. Hunter Pence and Lee followed with singles, and three more runs scored on a double by Brett Wallace and singles by Chris Johnson and Bill Hall.
Dickey allowed six hits in the first inning, then held the Astros in check until the sixth, when Hall and pinch hitter Matt Downs hit solo homers. It was Downs' first pinch hit home run.
Dickey pitched 5 1-3 innings, allowed 11 hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out two.
Lee became the 17th active player to reach 2,000 hits, and he is the ninth active player to have at least that many hits while also belting 300 or more home runs.
His big day also extended his hitting streak to eight games.
The Mets got one run in the third when Jose Reyes doubled and scored on a single to right field by Justin Turner, then added an other in the fourth, when Daniel Murphy led off the inning with his third homer of the season.
Jose Reyes had an RBI single off reliever Mark Melancon in the ninth.
Notes: Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran sat out the game with swelling in his right eye. ... Francisco Rodriguez has converted 11 straight saves and hasn't allowed a run in the last 12 2-3 innings for the Mets. ... Turner became the seventh Mets player to hit in the No. 2 position this season. ... Houston CF Michael Bourn leads the National League with 14 steals.
