Galarraga, Tigers cool off Mets
6/25/2010NEW YORK - Armando Galarraga won for the first time since his near-perfect game, Phil Coke struck out David Wright in a key spot, and the Detroit Tigers held off the New York Mets 6-5 Thursday night.
Magglio Ordonez and Ryan Raburn homered as the Tigers built a 6-1 lead through five innings and managed to avert a sweep. Detroit had been winless in interleague play at New York - three losses at Shea Stadium and two at Citi Field.
Galarraga (3-1) drew polite applause when he was announced before the game, fans still appreciating his show of sportsmanship after an umpire's missed call deprived him of perfection on June 2. The right-hander had received no-decisions in all three starts since.
Galarraga held the Mets hitless until Jesus Feliciano's liner fooled left fielder Brennan Boesch and sailed over the rookie for a leadoff double in the fourth. Wright hit an RBI double in the sixth and made a headfirst dive home on Jason Bay's single to get the Mets within 6-4.
Eddie Bonine relieved Galarraga to begin the seventh, and Chris Carter's RBI single made it 6-5. Coke took over, and Feliciano chopped an infield single that loaded the bases with one out.
That brought up Wright, the NL RBI leader. After Coke threw two balls, Wright swung at the next five pitches - two misses, two fouls, and then strike three. Coke retired Ike Davis on a long fly to center field to preserve the one-run edge.
The Mets threatened again in the eighth with a pair of two-out singles off Joel Zumaya.
Jose Valverde closed for his 17th straight save, striking out Wright to end it.