Yoshii, Piazza Save Mets

For the first time in 15 starts, Masato Yoshii’s effort wasn’t wasted.

Yoshii (5-6) gave up one run in 7 2/3 innings Wednesday night to earn his first victory since May 27 and Mike Piazza had a clutch hit for the second consecutive game as the Mets defeated the Colorado Rockies, 2-1, at New York.

New York swept the three-game series and won for 10th time in 13 games. The victory gave the Mets a one-game lead in the National League wild-card race over the Chicago Cubs, who earlier lost to St. Louis.

“Oh course I’m happy that I did get a win, personally,” Yoshii said. “But I’m more happy that we swept Colorado.”

Yoshii was winless in 14 starts, with an 0-5 record during the slump. John Franco pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save.

Bobby Jones (5-7) gave up both runs.

New York took a 2-1 lead in the third. Yoshii drew a leadoff walk and Tony Phillips followed with a ground-rule double to left center. With one out, John Olerud walked to load the bases.

Piazza, who doubled with the bases loaded Tuesday to help the Mets sweep a doubleheader, singled to score Yoshii. Brian McRae hit a grounder which scored Phillips.

San Francisco 6, Atlanta 2--Charlie Hayes’ two-run single highlighted a four-run third inning and backed six solid innings by Mark Gardner as the Giants defeated Tom Glavine and the Braves at Atlanta.

Glavine (16-6) failed to become the first National League pitcher with 17 victories and his scoreless streak of 23 innings was snapped in the first.

Gardner (10-5) gave up seven hits and walked two without recording a strikeout.

Cincinnati 8, Milwaukee 2--Pete Harnisch gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings and Sean Casey had a home run and an RBI double as the Reds defeated the Brewers at Milwaukee.

Harnisch (9-6) took a shutout into the eighth before giving up a two-run homer to Fernando Vina. Steve Woodward (9-8) was the loser.

The Reds scored six runs in the fourth inning on seven hits.

Montreal 8, Arizona 2--Dustin Hermanson, who already had a two-hitter against the Diamondbacks this year, gave up three hits in seven innings as the Expos won at Phoenix.

With the victory, Felipe Alou broke the record for most wins by a Montreal manager at 521, one more than Buck Rodgers.

Hermanson (11-9), who struck out eight and walked one, is 3-0 against Arizona this season. Amaury Telemaco (4-8) took the loss.

Vladimir Guerrero had three RBIs, two of them off his 30th home run, and Chris Widger drove in three with a bases-loaded double.

Houston 4, Philadelphia 3--Derek Bell’s two-run single with two outs in the ninth rallied the Astros past the Phillies at Philadelphia.

The Phillies led, 3-2, entering the ninth, but with one out, pinch-hitters Dave Clark and Richard Hidalgo singled off reliever Mark Leiter to put runners on first and third. Craig Biggio flied out to right and Clark held up on Bobby Abreu’s throw home.

Leiter (6-4) hit Bill Spiers on the left elbow to load the bases. Bell then lined a fastball to center for the game-winner.

Shane Reynolds (15-8) was the winner as Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his 24th save in 26 opportunities.