Maine gives Mets what they need

With their season damaged perhaps beyond repair, the Mets staged a most remarkable performance Saturday in their 161st game, replete with a lopsided victory, two benches-clearing incidents and pitching so brilliant by John Maine that the first no-hitter in Mets history and a single-game strikeout record were possible as late as the eighth inning.

Pitching from a mound that had been home to Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Dwight Gooden, Maine came within four outs of the achievement that still appears well beyond the capability of a franchise steeped in pitching excellence. He struck out 14 batters before a roller hit down by the third-base line by Paul Hoover with two out in the eighth inning turned him away and ended his workday. Continue