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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Past Readers Polls Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games Movie Preview October 7, 2006 Mets sting Dodgers in series opener NEW YORK — Carlos Delgado hammered the ball all over the field in his playoff debut. David Wright also delivered, and the pitching-depleted New York Mets looked like October regulars during their first postseason game since 2000. Minus two top starters, the Mets capitalized on a wild baserunning blunder by Los Angeles and a perfectly respectable performance from emergency replacement John Maine in a 6-5 victory Wednesday over the Dodgers. Billy Wagner closed Game 1 of this NL series for his first postseason save, fanning Nomar Garciaparra with a runner on second for the final out. Playing in the first postseason game of his 14-year career, Delgado had four hits, a mammoth homer and the go-ahead RBI in the seventh inning. Wright drove in three runs, helping the Mets jump ahead in the best-of-five series. Game 2 is Thursday night, with rookie left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo on the mound for the wild-card Dodgers against 290-game winner Tom Glavine. Kuo pitched six shutout innings at Shea Stadium on Sept. 8 for his only major league win. The Mets started a rookie of their own in the opener after Orlando Hernandez tore a muscle in his right calf while jogging in the outfield Tuesday. He is expected to miss the entire postseason. Already without injured ace Pedro Martinez, New York scrambled to find a healthy, rested starter and picked Maine. Lifted with a 2-1 lead in the fifth, Maine got a break on a bizarre play when the Dodgers had two runners cut down at home plate in the second. With two on and none out, rookie Russell Martin hit an opposite-field drive off the base of the right-field wall. But Jeff Kent hesitated at second base, apparently thinking the ball might be caught, and got an extremely late jump. That left J.D. Drew, who was on first, practically running up Kent's back as coach Rich Donnelly waved one — or both — around third. A quick, accurate relay from right fielder Shawn Green to second baseman Jose Valentin to Lo Duca nailed Kent, who attempted a headfirst dive into the plate. Drew was left in no-man's land, trapped about halfway between third and home. Yet Lo Duca, who got spun around on the play at the plate, didn't realize that at first as he struggled to his feet. With Lo Duca unaware for a moment, Drew tried to sneak his way in. But the catcher turned his head, suddenly noticed Drew bearing down on him and applied a second tag as Drew also tried a headfirst dive. Guillermo Mota won in relief. With the score tied at 4, the Dodgers turned to Brad Penny, normally a starter, in relief and he wound up the losing pitcher. Athletics 5, Twins 2 At Minneapolis, playing it safe? Not Torii Hunter's style. That's why he has five Gold Gloves. Trying to make a tough catch right after his Minnesota teammates tied the game with back-to-back home runs, Hunter missed — and Oakland took advantage. Mark Kotsay circled the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park homer after Hunter's ill-advised dive for a sinking line drive, lifting the Athletics over the Twins for a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series. The A's handled the Boof — Bonser, that is — and here's the truth: Oakland has arrived at yet another elimination game. The perennial playoff underperformers are 0-9 in those since 2000, losing four straight first-round series. The series shifts west Friday, with Twins right-hander Brad Radke taking his broken shoulder socket to the mound for possibly the final appearance of his 12-year career. Dan Haren, in his first postseason start, will pitch for Oakland — which beat Cy Young Award favorite Johan Santana in Game 1 and now gets two chances to close it out at home. The A's had one mishap. Second baseman Mark Ellis broke his right index finger swinging at a high, inside pitch, and Oakland said it would update his condition at Thursday's workout. Oakland starter Esteban Loaiza slipped in the sixth inning, surrendering consecutive solo homers to Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau that evened the game at 2. But with Jason Kendall on first, two outs in the seventh and reliever Dennys Reyes pitching, Kotsay hit what should have been a single. Hunter, bothered by a sore left foot this season, charged forward. The ball sliced to Hunter's left, and his reach wasn't long enough to get near it. Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.