From the moment he walked into the clubhouse for the first time this season to his race around the bases on a four-base error, Jason Bay gave the New York Mets a much-needed jolt of positive vibes. Bay, who also hit a ground-rule double, scored on an error by Hunter Pence on his flyball to right field, eliciting a raucous stir from his teammates in the dugout, and the Mets beat the Houston Astros 9-1 on Thursday night to end a seven-game home winless skid. Bay was out with a strained rib cage since late March and hadn't played in a regular-season game since July 25, when he went out with a concussion. "Obviously having Jason Bay back -- to pull these guys together is one of the best things that could happen," manager Terry Collins said. "I think his presence in the clubhouse, in the dugout, and on the field is a big factor." Read more: http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310421121&teams=houston-astros-vs-new-york-mets
