Mlicki Helps Mets Take Step Toward Big Apple Supremacy

Interleague

Butch Huskey looked around Yankee Stadium and was amazed by the sight: Mets fans.

He had never seen that many.

“It was an unbelievable feeling to see that many Mets fans in the stands,” he said. “They don’t come to Shea. I don’t know what the problem is.”

Following a three-run first inning, the contingent got louder and louder. By the time the Mets completed a 6-0 victory on Monday night, they had silenced the Yankees fans who attended the first game between the teams that counted.

Todd Hundley, beer in hand, took special pleasure that the Mets’ win might cause Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to steam.

“Sure will,” he said, a mischievous smile crossing his face.

Then a chug.

“Yeah!”

Dave Mlicki found the perfect moment to pitch the game of his career, giving up nine hits for his first career shutout and complete game.

“He picked a great night to break through,” Mets closer John Franco said of Mlicki. “He owns the city for the night.”

As do the Mets, who skipped a subway trip to Yankee Stadium and rode the bus to the famed ballpark instead. New York may be a two-team town, but at least until tonight’s game it belongs to the club from Queens.

There were 56,188 bodies in Yankee Stadium, and the fans appeared evenly split. At the start.

Not at the end.

“A few might have started out Yankees fans,” Mets outfielder Bernard Gilkey said.

Before the game, Yankees manager Joe Torre had reminisced about the old days, when the New York Giants played the Brooklyn Dodgers 22 times a season. During big games, loyalties changed before his eyes.

“I couldn’t find a Dodgers fan after Bobby Thomson’s home run,” he said, referring to the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” that gave New York the victory over Brooklyn in the 1951 N.L. playoff.

Brewers 1, Cardinals 0 Milwaukee

Jeromy Burnitz homered off Alan Benes with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Milwaukee a victory in the first interleague game at County Stadium.

Brewers ace Ben McDonald scattered four hits in eight innings and struck out a career-best 12. Bob Wickman (4-2) pitched the ninth to get the victory.

Reds 4, Indians 1 Cleveland

Reds rookie Brett Tomko returned to his hometown and pitched 7-1/3 shutout innings as Cincinnati won the first non-exhibition meeting between Ohio’s major league teams.

Expos 6, Orioles 4 Baltimore

Montreal tied a club record with its 10th consecutive victory, including four interleague games, as Mike Lansing and Ryan McGuire led the way with home runs.

Red Sox 5, Phillies 4 (10) Boston

Troy O’Leary was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning to give Boston the victory.

It was the first meaningful game between the teams since the 1915 World Series, in which Babe Ruth was a pitching star for the Red Sox.

Braves 3, Blue Jays 0 Toronto

In a rematch of the 1992 World Series won by Toronto, the Braves’ Denny Neagle outpitched Roger Clemens and Atlanta ended its longest losing streak of the season at four.

Neagle (10-1) pitched a five-hitter for his second shutout of the season.

Clemens (11-2) struck out 12, but lost his second straight start.

Marlins 7, Tigers 3 Detroit

Jim Eisenreich, the first designated hitter in Marlins’ history, and Jeff Conine each drove in two runs for Florida as the Marlins kept Detroit winless in interleague play.

Florida’s Kevin Brown (7-4), coming off a no-hitter Tuesday against San Francisco, gave up six hits against the Tigers over eight innings.

Royals 5, Astros 2 Kansas City, Mo.

Jeff King drove in three runs with two doubles and Johnny Damon delivered a two-run single, powering Kansas City in the first interleague game at Kauffman Stadium.

Pirates 8, Twins 6 Minneapolis

Mark Smith homered in the first plate appearance by a Pittsburgh designated hitter and Kevin Polcovich hit the first homer of his career for the Pirates.

Clearing the bases

Boston first baseman Mo Vaughn is scheduled to have knee surgery today and may miss six weeks… . Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin, bothered since spring training by a left heel injury, strained his left calf in the second inning and left the game… . Toronto released oufielder Ruben Sierra, who hit .208 with one homer and five RBIs in 14 games… . The Yankees have promoted Japanese pitching prospect Hideki Irabu to Norwich of the AA Eastern League… . Florida Marlins right-handed pitcher Kevin Brown, who threw a no-hitter in his only game, and Texas Rangers left fielder Rusty Greer (.600 batting average, 3 HRs, 5 RBIs) were named players of the week in the National and the American leagues… . The Braves-Blue Jays series features 10 Cy Young awards - Greg Maddux 4, Rogers Clemens 3, Tom Glavine 1, John Smoltz 1 and Pat Hentgen 1.