Wright guides Mets to win over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — David Wright hit a solo homer and RBI double as the New York Mets sent the Los Angeles Dodgers to their fifth straight loss, 3-2 Thursday night.
The Dodgers ended their 33-inning scoreless drought in the fourth, with Dee Gordon getting congratulated up and down the dugout after crossing the plate. But they couldn’t break through against the Mets’ bullpen and dropped from the top of the NL West standings.
Chris Young (2-1) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out six and walking none.
Relievers Tim Byrdak and Jon Rauch followed and then Bobby Parnell, getting his first save opportunity since closer Frank Francisco went on the disabled list, pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the year.
Chris Capuano (9-3) gave up three runs, five hits and no walks over seven innings. It was first start against the Mets since leaving them to sign a two-year, $10 million contract with the Dodgers in December.
The Mets are the only NL club the 33-year-old left-hander has never beaten — including five starts with Milwaukee in which he was 0-4 with a 6.35 ERA. Capuano came in 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his seven previous home starts this season.
Coming off a three-game sweep at San Francisco in which they were outscored 15-0, the Dodgers’ shutout string ended when Dee Gordon doubled and Elian Herrera tripled over the head of center fielder Andres Torres. Juan Rivera followed with a sharp single through the box — all with none out.
The drought was the Dodgers’ longest since the 1966 World Series against Baltimore, when they were blanked over the final 33 innings by Moe Drabowsky, Jim Palmer, Wally Bunker and Dave McNally. The franchise mark is 41 scoreless innings, set in August 1908 when they were known as the Brooklyn Superbas.
The Mets, who came in with the second-best average in the majors with runners in scoring position and two outs, regained the lead in the fifth with a two-out double by Torres after Mike Nickeas singled, advanced on Young’s sacrifice and stole third. New York leads the majors with 167 two-out runs.
Wright, who had a season-high five RBIs in Wednesday’s 17-1 rout of the Cubs at Wrigley Field, doubled home a run in the first. In the fourth, he golfed a drive into the left-field pavilion.
It was his ninth homer and 192nd of his career, tying Howard Johnson for third place on the Mets’ career list behind Darryl Strawberry (252) and Mike Piazza (220).
NOTES: The Dodgers are 3-10 since the NHL champion Kings stopped by Chavez Ravine to show off the Stanley Cup they won two nights earlier. At the time, they led the Giants by 4½ games. ... Dodgers RF Andre Ethier, who strained the oblique muscle on his left side while checking his swing in Wednesday’s game, did not play. He is 12 for 29 with six homers against Young. “At this point, we’re kind of day to day,” manager Don Mattingly said. “Yesterday I kind of assumed we were going to be in a DL situation. But the docs looked at it and didn’t see any swelling, so the news couldn’t be any better as far as Andre is concerned.” ... Wright drew his 581st walk, breaking Strawberry’s club record. ... The Dodgers optioned OF Ivan DeJesus Jr. to Triple-A and recalled RF Scott Van Slyke, who batted fifth and was 0 for 4. ... The Dodgers have reached an agreement on a seven-year, $42 million contract with Cuban defector Yasiel Puig. The deal for the 21-year-old outfielder is expected to be completed on Friday, pending a physical.