GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ATLANTA (73-70) at NY METS (81-61)

Perez, Wright lead Mets to ninth win in 10 games

<h3>NY METS 3, ATLANTA 2</h3><div class="pre">FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) Carlos Beltran called the outing</div>by Oliver Perez "a great performance." It was the type thefading Atlanta Braves have seen all too much of this season.

Perez pitched seven strong innings and David Wright continuedhis torrid second half with a two-run homer as the New York Metsposted a 3-2 victory over the fading Braves on Monday.

Moises Alou extended his hitting streak to 15 games and JoseReyes added his 75th stolen base for the Mets (82-61), whoremained games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies (76-67) andmoved 9 1/2 games ahead of the Braves (73-71) in the NationalLeague East.


Philadelphia defeated the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

Perez improved to 4-1 against the Braves this season as the Metswon for the ninth time in 10 games, including four straightover their division rival in 10 days. New York recorded a threegame sweep August 31 - September 2.


<div class="pre">"He pitches against us like he does everyone else great,"</div>Braves manager Bobby Cox said.


With Atlanta sluggers Andruw and Chipper Jones scratched priorto the game, Perez held a 1-0 lead and allowed the Braves justtwo hits and a walk through five innings. Andruw was out withan illness while Chipper strained an oblique during battingpractice.


But Atlanta staged a rally in the sixth. Braves starter TimHudson, who pitched well enough to win, led off with a groundsingle and Yunel Escobar worked a walk before Edgar Renterialined out hard to third base. Perez then picked off a sleepingHudson at second.


"I'm hardly ever on second base. I don't know what's too closeor too far," Hudson said. "Well, I guess I know what's too farnow."


Perez then struck out Matt Diaz, who entered as the top hitterin the league since April 30 (.361).


Wright hit is career-high 28th home run in the bottom half, atwo-run blast that provided a 3-0 lead.


"You couldn't pick a better time to peak. We're playing ourbaseball of the year right now," Wright said.


Atlanta finally reached Perez in the seventh. Jeff Francoeursingled with one out and McCann followed two batters later bydrilling a 3-2 offering over the right field fence for his 18thblast of the season.


Perez, who walked five batters in each of his last three starts,left after seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits withtwo walks and seven strikeouts - one in each inning.

"He was sharp," said Beltran, who ended the game with a slidingcatch on a fly ball by Jeff Francoeur in center field.

The 26-year-old Perez also avenged one of his worst outings ofthe season, when he yielded season highs of six earned runs and10 hits over five innings in a loss to Atlanta on August 7. Thelefthander allowed just three runs in his first three startsagainst Atlanta.


"Every game is different," said Perez, who credited a change inhis mechanics with his success. "I focused on keeping my arm upand in one slot. I needed to be in one slot. That was the key."

Aaron Heilman worked a scoreless eighth and Billy Wagner aperfect ninth for his 33rd save in 37 chances.


New York got to the Atlanta starter in the first when Reyes andLuis Castillo led off with singles, and Reyes scored after thesecond of two fielder-choice groundouts.


Hudson, who was 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in his three previousstarts, had his sinker ball working. The first 13 outs herecord were via the ground-ball variety, including sevenstraight to second baseman Escobar. But he got the ball up toWright, who entered leading all league hitters in batting sincethe All-Star break (.356).


"It was a good pitch. It was like he was sitting on a heaterinside," Hudson said.


Hudson was charged with three runs on five hits in seveninnings.