Mets take advantage of error to fight past Giants in ninth inning

SAN FRANCISCO -- In any type of game on either coast, not much slows down the New York Mets these days.

Not big injuries, not road trips, not opposing catchers, not early deficits -- and definitely not San Francisco closer Brian Wilson, who has twice been trampled by the Mets in consecutive comeback victories.

Gary Sheffield scored the go-ahead run on Wilson's throwing error in the ninth inning, and New York rallied from four early runs down for an 8-6 victory Friday night.

David Wright had three hits and four RBIs, three on a tying double in the seventh inning of New York's 10th victory in 12 games. Sheffield went 2 for 4 and scored three runs, while Daniel Murphy added a pinch-hit RBI single for the Mets, who seem wholly undaunted by injuries to key infielders Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes.

The NL East leaders pounded out 14 hits and stole four bases after setting a franchise record with seven steals Thursday, getting their 10-game trip off to a remarkable start.

"When you don't have your leadoff guy and your guy in the middle of the order, everybody's got to do a little more," Wright said, referring to Reyes (stiff calf) and Delgado (hip). "We've played extremely well, and we were lucky to get into their bullpen again and make some things happen."

Wright makes it sound simple, but the Mets' two wins in San Francisco haven't been easy. After blowing a two-run lead in the eighth Thursday before rallying against Wilson for a 7-4 win, New York fell behind 5-1 early Friday before a comeback.

Sheffield and Wright singled to open the ninth against Wilson (2-2), who gave up three runs in the ninth Thursday night. Ryan Church bunted sharply back to Wilson, but his throw missed third baseman Pablo Sandoval, allowing Sheffield to trot home.

"He's our closer," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, ejected after the seventh inning. "We had the right guy out there last night, and we had the right guy out there tonight. He's got to forget this, because he'll be out there again."

Wright then scored on Omir Santos' second sacrifice fly of the game. Although Wright is 6 for 8 in the series and 23 for 53 in May, the third baseman doesn't let a surge or a slump affect him much.

"It's easy to say because of the results that something is different, but it's putting the work in, putting the preparation in, and giving ourselves every chance to succeed," said Wright, who cleared the bases in the seventh with a drive down the left field line against reliever Merkin Valdez.

Brian Stokes (1-1) pitched the eighth for New York, and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 11th save in as many chances.

"He's been unreal," Wright said of K-Rod, the Mets' still-new closer. "He's a guy that never ceases to amaze me. he's really been challenging guys, and really being as dominant as you can be."

Rich Aurilia hit a two-RBI single in San Francisco's four-run first inning, and Fred Lewis homered in the Giants' third straight loss.

Tim Lincecum pitched into the seventh inning and drove in a run for the Giants, but the NL Cy Young winner gave up 10 hits and couldn't get an out to slow New York's tying rally in the seventh.

Lincecum, who struck out eight, also accepted blame for some of the Mets' base-stealing success, a thought quietly echoed by catcher Bengie Molina.

"I can't say what I want to say," Molina said. "You don't hold them, you don't pay attention to them, they're going to make you pay."

Both managers were ejected in a 10-minute span for arguing ball-strike calls.

Livan Hernandez yielded five runs in five innings for the Mets.

Aurilia was a late addition to the Giants' starting lineup after Travis Ishikawa bruised his eye during batting practice. Lincecum drove him home in the sixth with a bouncing single down the third base line.

Game notes
Reed played the first seven innings at first base, something the outfielder had done for just one inning of his pro career previously. ... Reyes was held out of the starting lineup for the second straight night to rest his strained calf, with Manuel saying he wouldn't play except in a situation where the Mets could win the game.