NEW YORK — Jose Reyes hit two solo home runs, putting pop into his bid for the National League batting title, but the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 5-4 on Tuesday night on Drew Stubbs’ squeeze bunt in the 13th inning.
Reyes began the next-to-last game of the season with a minuscule .00006 lead over Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun.
Reyes went 3-for-6 and raised his average to .336, finishing the evening one point ahead of Braun, who went 1-for-2 in a 6-4 win over Pittsburgh.
Juan Francisco, who entered after Reds star Brandon Phillips exited early with a strained left quadriceps, hit a tying double with two outs in the ninth. He then hustled for a triple in the 13th and scored on Stubbs’ bunt.
Justin Turner lined into a double play with the bases loaded to end the game, leaving Reyes on deck.
Sam LeCure (2-1) got the win and Francisco Cordero held on for his 37th save in 43 chances. Dale Thayer (0-3) took the loss.
Bronson Arroyo went eight innings and has pitched 199 this season — he desperately wanted to reach 200 for the seventh straight year — and threw a complete game in his previous start.
Arroyo left for a pinch-hitter in the ninth.
Arroyo has allowed 46 homers this year, including two to Reyes on Tuesday. That’s two short of Jose Lima’s NL record and four shy of the major league mark of 50 set by Bert Blyleven in 1986.
Jay Bruce hit his 32nd home run, and Joey Votto hit his 29th for the Reds.
Mets starter Chris Capuano struck out nine in six innings.
Capuano was a pleasant surprise for the Mets, signed after two Tommy John surgeries. The former All-Star, who missed two seasons because of his injuries, didn’t miss a start this year and wound up making 31 overall.
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