With runners on second and third in the seventh, Lenny Harris was sent in as a pinch hitter but the Mets called for left-hander Mike Stanton. Easley batted for Harris and hit his second homer of the season to tie it at 5.
"I wanted a groundball double play," Stanton said.
"He got under the ball and it carried. It's not like he doesn't have the power to do it. He got good wood on it."
An inning later, Hee Seop Choi beat out an infield single with two outs against reliever David Weathers (5-2). Jeff Conine walked and Gonzalez followed with a single to right. Choi beat Shane Spencer's throw to the plate, sliding under catcher Vance Wilson's tag.
Matt Perisho (4-2) pitched 1 1-3 for the win.
Armando Benitez allowed Mike Piazza second homer of the game leading off the ninth before finishing for his 22nd save in 23 opportunities.
Cubs 6, Pirates 1
In Chicago, Carlos Zambrano pitched eight solid innings and Rey Ordonez hit a two-run single in the seventh to lead Chicago over Pittsburgh.
Derrek Lee added a two-run homer in the eighth for Chicago.
Zambrano (6-2) allowed one run on four hits, and struck out seven and walked two. He retired six of the last seven batters he faced.
Pittsburgh was without manager Lloyd Mclendon, serving the first of a two-game suspension for his shouting match with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa on Thursday. The Pirates have lost six of their last seven games.
Cardinals 10, Astros 4
In St. Louis, Jim Edmonds overcame a sore ribcage to drive in four runs and throw out a runner at third base as St. Louis defeated Houston.
Edmonds almost didn't start after straining a ribcage muscle on his right side during batting practice the previous night, but chose to play -- helping the Cardinals win their sixth in a row.
Dodgers 10, Diamondbacks 3
In Phoenix, Paul Lo Duca homered in his third consecutive game, and Dave Roberts hit a three-run homer as Los Angeles thrashed Arizona.
Odalis Perez (3-3) gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings, but issued no walks for his first win in seven starts since April 28. He also had an RBI ground-rule double in helping the Dodgers win for the sixth time in seven games.
Robby Hammock and Luis Gonzalez drove in runs for the Diamondbacks, who dropped their fourth in a row to the division leaders.
RSS