Young's Hit in 9th Sends Mets Past Indians 2-1

Eric Young's two-out double in the ninth inning gave the New York Mets a 2-1 victory over Cleveland on Sunday, ending the Indians' four-game winning streak and putting a temporary halt to their playoff push.

Juan Lagares started the ninth with a single off Chris Perez (5-3) and moved to second on a sacrifice. Omar Quintanilla struck out, but Young lined a 2-0 pitch down the right field line.

Frank Francisco (1-0), making his first appearance of the season, got Asdrubal Cabrera to ground into a double play with the bases loaded to end the eighth.

LaTroy Hawkins pitched the ninth for his eighth save. Jason Giambi led off the inning with a bloop single to left, his 2,000th career hit. With one out, pinch-runner Mike Aviles was thrown out attempting to steal second and ejected by umpire Gary Darling for arguing the call. Drew Stubbs struck out to end the game.

With one out, pinch-runner Mike Aviles was thrown out attempting to steal second and ejected by umpire Gary Darling for arguing the call. Drew Stubbs struck out to end the game.

Cleveland entered Sunday trailing Tampa Bay by a game in the battle for the second wild card spot in the American League.

Cleveland was trying for its first five-game winning streak since a season-best eight-game run July 24-Aug. 1, but was held to five hits — all singles — by five Mets pitchers. Cleveland's only run came in the sixth when Cabrera was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

While the Indians are in the playoff hunt, they haven't caught on with Cleveland's fans. With the Browns opening the NFL season at home against Miami, Sunday's baseball game drew a crowd of only 13,317.

Daisuke Matsuzaka took a one-hit shutout into the sixth before literally being driven out of the game. He retired the first two batters before Jason Kipnis singled and Carlos Santana walked. Jason Kubel's line drive back to the mound appeared to hit Matsuzaka in the chest and rolled away, loading the bases.

Mets manager Terry Collins went to the mound and pulled Matsuzaka for right-hander Vic Black, who hit Cabrera in the lower right leg with his second pitch to force in a run and tie the game.

Matsuzaka, who pitched poorly in his first three starts with the Mets since being signed last month, was charged with one run in 5 2-3 innings.

Justin Turner hit a leadoff homer in the fourth off Indians starter Danny Salazar, the only run the rookie allowed in four innings. Turner was injured in the sixth while sliding into second base when he took a hard tag in the head from Cabrera. He was on the ground for a couple of minutes but stayed in the game.

Salazar struck out eight in three innings, including five in a row, but a high pitch count prevented him from working deeper into the game. He was pulled after throwing 80 pitches. The Indians don't want to take any chances with the 23-year-old right-hander, who had Tommy John surgery in 2010 and has already pitched a career-high 130 innings between the minors and majors.