Major League Baseball

Dodgers outlast Mets in 12 for sweep

Published Jul. 22, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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David Wright and the New York Mets know there's still plenty of time to get back on track.

Pinch-hitter Matt Treanor had a two-run single in a five-run 12th inning and the stumbling New York Mets fell under .500 for the first time this season with an 8-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

''I don't think we're playing as poorly as the record indicates,'' Wright said, ''but this is when we need to get things turned around and moving in the direction we need it to.''

The Mets appeared headed in the right direction when they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie it in the ninth and put their first two runners on in the10th. But they botched a sacrifice attempt and Ruben Tejada hit into a double play to end the inning. New York lost their ninth in 10 games to fall to 47-48.

Afterward, the Mets tweeted they were going to call up top prospect Matt Harvey to start Thursday. They had been reluctant to rush to the majors their first-round pick of the 2010 draft despite several injuries to the starting rotation. As recently as Sunday morning, manager Terry Collins would only say Harvey was an option to make the start in Arizona.

But with the season fading fast and the NL East-leading Washington Nationals coming to town for three games starting Monday, the Mets have to try something to give the club a boost.

The Dodgers, on the other hand, won their fourth straight after losing seven of eight and dropping out of first place in the NL West.

An overworked Mets bullpen held the Dodgers to one hit for four innings until Los Angeles broke it open in the 12th with contributions from several late-inning replacements.

''They're going to be tired but we still got a couple of guys for (Monday),'' Collins said of the bullpen.

Josh Wall (1-0) made his major league debut in the 11th, giving up a single to Wright before he was caught trying to steal second base.

''It was pretty cool, pretty amazing experience,'' said Wall, who was given the game ball by home plate umpire Jim Joyce.

James Loney led off the 12th off with a single against Ramon Ramirez (2-2). A defensive replacement in the eighth, Tony Gwynn Jr. bunted for a base hit, just beating the throw to first. Collins argued to no avail.

Mark Ellis popped up a bunt for the first out and Matt Kemp grounded into a fielder's choice that put runners on first and third. Andre Ethier, who drove in the Dodgers' third run, was intentionally walked to load the bases.

With two strikes, Treanor lined a single to center that scored two runs. Luis Cruz followed with an RBI single and Adam Kennedy, who entered as a pinch-hitter in the 11th, hit a long drive to right that Lucas Duda misjudged, and it fell for a two-run double to chase Ramirez.

The few fans remaining in the crowd of 31,184 mockingly cheered when Elvin Ramirez got the final out of the inning.

''We're certainly not happy with the way things have gone the last 10 days,'' Collins said, ''so se we've got to buckle down and get after it.''

Josh Lindblom, Los Angeles' sixth reliever, finished the Dodgers' first three-game sweep in New York since August 2002.

Dodgers starter Nathan Eovaldi was pulled after 4 1-3 innings. He left leading 2-1, and Ethier's RBI single in the sixth made it 3-1.

Shawn Tolleson gave up an RBI single to Daniel Murphy in the seventh and Javy Guerra allowed Ike Davis' run-scoring groundout with one out in the ninth that tied it.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen had saved the first two games of the series and was not available.

Guerra worked out of a jam in the 10th, making a nice play on a sacrifice attempt to throw out the lead runner at third for the first out. He then induced a 5-4-3 double play from leadoff batter Tejada.

Jonathon Niese became the first Mets starter in this series to go more than three innings. He lasted seven-plus and gave up a two-run homer to Juan Rivera in the fourth inning.

Eovaldi matched a career high with seven strikeouts but he threw 96 pitches and was removed with runners on first and third and one out in the fifth. Scott Elbert relieved and struck out Davis before Murphy flied out.

Murphy finished 9 for 11 in the series.

Elbert gave up a one-out single in the sixth and walked Niese with two outs before being replaced by Tolleson. Tejada hit a fly to left to end the threat. Elbert has given up just one run in his last 13 appearances.

Davis and Murphy combined in the seventh for the Mets' second run. Davis led off with a double and Murphy had one of his four hits.

Rivera hit a drive to left-center with one out in the fourth that would've been a homer by Citi Field's old dimensions.

Josh Thole singled home a run in the bottom half to make it 2-1.

NOTES: Treanor snapped an 0-for-23 skid Saturday. ... There was a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the shooting in Aurora, Colo. ... The Mets designated RHP Miguel Batista for assignment. ... Niese's at-bat in the third inning was the first plate appearance by a Mets starting pitcher in the series. He struck out. ... The Mets said ''Jersey Shore'' star Nicole ''Snooki'' Polizzi will be at Citi Field on Monday.