Piazza Provides Only Part of the Drama

Mike Piazza homered twice, including the game-winner in the eighth inning, to lead the New York Mets to a 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox Friday night at Boston in a tense game that saw the benches empty and a pitcher ejected.

Piazza’s shot into the left-field screen off reliever Derek Lowe (2-4) gave New York a 5-4 lead after Edgardo Alfonzo singled with two outs.

Nomar Garciaparra went four for four for Boston to raise his average to a major league-leading .400.

Pat Mahomes (3-1) got one out for the win after Dennis Cook was ejected in the seventh. Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 24 chances.

Benitez blew the opener of the series when he allowed a two-run double to Brian Daubach in the ninth after shortstop Melvin Mora’s error prolonged the inning.

The Red Sox took a 4-3 lead Friday on Troy O’Leary’s single in a wild seventh inning. The bloop hit over the head of second baseman Alfonzo scored Garciaparra.

The hit capped off a tense inning that saw both benches empty when Met catcher Todd Pratt and Boston’s Brian Daubach began jawing.

The two began arguing after Daubach stepped out of the box, apparently exasperated over the amount of time pitcher Cook was taking between pitches.

Met Manager Bobby Valentine stepped between Pratt and Daubach as the bullpen and benches cleared. No punches were thrown.

On the first pitch after home plate umpire Marty Foster issued a warning to both benches, Daubach tied the game at 3-3 with a single that knocked in Jose Offerman.

Cook was ejected two batters later when he hit Carl Everett with a pitch on the shoulder. Police and security guards stepped in front of both dugouts as Everett walked to first and Cook gestured toward the Red Sox bench.

Seattle 7, San Diego 5--In a wacky sequence of events at San Diego, John Olerud had a game-tying double taken away by the umpires, then hit a three-run homer to lead the Mariners.

Olerud drove in five runs for the second time in a week, tying his career high.

With runners on first and second and one out in the sixth, Olerud doubled to left. But it turned out that first base umpire Jim Wolf called time because a baseball had come out into fair territory in right field near the Mariners’ bullpen. Mariner Manager Lou Piniella stormed out of the dugout but got nowhere.

So the run came off the board, the runners went back to first and second, and Olerud got his bat and went back to the plate. On a 1-0 pitch from Brian Meadows, Olerud drove the ball into the seats in right for a 4-2 lead.

New York Yankees 6, Florida 2--The only one who got hit by a fast ball was Roger Clemens, who, in his first outing since beaning Mike Piazza, got drilled by a Paul Bako line drive in the fourth inning at New York.

Clemens, whose right forearm was swollen and bandaged after the game, stayed on and went seven innings, giving up seven hits.

Arizona 6, Texas 1--Steve Finley homered, tripled and drove in four runs and Armando Reynoso pitched a six-hitter as the Diamondbacks beat the Rangers at Phoenix.

San Francisco 4, Oakland 2--Barry Bonds hit his 30th homer and Mark Gardner pitched seven strong innings as the Giants beat the Athletics at San Francisco.

Tampa Bay 8, Montreal 5--Lead-off hitter Gerald Williams homered for the third straight game and Albie Lopez worked seven strong innings as the Devil Rays beat the Expos at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Toronto 3, Philadelphia 2--Homer Bush tied the game with his first homer of the season, then Raul Mondesi won it with a game-winning grounder in the bottom of the ninth at Toronto.

St. Louis 9, Chicago White Sox 4--Ray Lankford delivered a go-ahead seventh-inning triple, Eduardo Perez hit the Cardinals’ club-record eighth grand slam this season, and Garrett Stephenson pitched eight strong innings at Chicago as the White Sox lost their fourth in a row.

White Sox starter Cal Eldred left in the fifth inning because of a sore elbow.

Cleveland 9, Pittsburgh 3--Chuck Finley allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings and rookie Russell Branyan drove in four runs for the Indians at Cleveland.

Houston 9, Detroit 4--Astro right-hander Chris Holt, pitching in Detroit’s spacious Comerica Park, won for the first time since June 3, allowing four runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. Craig Biggio singled, doubled and tripled for the Astros.

Milwaukee 4, Kansas City 0--Jeff D’Amico allowed three hits in seven shutout innings and Jose Hernandez drove in three runs for the Brewers at Kansas City.

Chicago Cubs 6, Minnesota 2--Sammy Sosa hit his 24th homer and Jon Lieber pitched seven scoreless innings at Minneapolis.