Mets’ Hampton, Before Cramp, Applies Clamps

NEW YORK — There was no sweep and no more controversy in the Subway Series.

Mike Hampton pitched seven shutout innings before leaving with a muscle cramp Sunday night as the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees, 2-0, to avoid a four-game sweep.

The attendance of 54,286 was the largest at Shea Stadium since Sept. 20, 1970, against Pittsburgh.

Hampton (9-5), 7-1 in his last 12 starts, and Andy Pettitte (9-5) kept the game close, and even Todd Zeile’s 14th homer, to the opposite field in the fourth inning, barely cleared the fence over Paul O’Neill’s glove. The ball was in nearly the same spot where O’Neill robbed Derek Bell of a two-run homer Friday night.

“We needed to win this game,” Hampton said. “We had to prove to them and ourselves that we could beat them. We felt they got all the breaks in the first three games.”

Saturday’s two-stadium doubleheader sweep by the Yankees included a disputed interference call on Zeile that helped them win the opener, which the Mets protested.

In the second game, All-Star catcher Mike Piazza sustained a concussion when he was hit in the head by Roger Clemens pitch. On Sunday, Piazza accused Clemens of intentionally throwing at his head, but there were no brushbacks in retaliation.

Hampton, who has not allowed an earned run in 11 1/3 innings against the Yankees during his career, gave up six hits and two walks. He struck out eight.

Hampton started warming up for the eighth, but he was replaced by Armando Benitez, who finished for his 19th save, retiring Felix Jose on a grounder with two on and two out in the ninth.

But the Yankees did have a serious injury.

Left fielder Shane Spencer tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while fielding a hit by Melvin Mora in the first inning, and he will be out for the season.

“Shane’s pretty distraught,” Cashman said. “He needs a knee reconstruction.”