NL RECAP (MILWAUKEE-NY METS) FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- It seems Alex Ochoa can do no right in New York. Roger Cedeno apparently can do wrong. Ochoa easily was thrown out at the plate to end the game as the Mets escaped with an 11-10 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a doubleheader. New York took an 11-9 lead into the top of the ninth inning but Milwaukee had runners on first and second against John Franco. The Mets closer seemed to have the game in hand when he induced pinch-hitter Sean Berry to hit a popup to shallow right field. But second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo dropped the ball, allowing Marquis Grissom to score from second. Ochoa, whose Mets' career was marked by unfulfilled expectations, also tried to score but Cedeno alertly picked up the ball and fired a strike to catcher Mike Piazza, cutting down Ochoa without a slide. "It's embarrassing for our game," Brewers manager Phil Garner said of Ochoa's miscue. "A big league player runs that ball out. There is no excuse for not running, especially with the wind kicking up. Maybe we don't win the game but we would have been playing. There is no earthly reason left not to run unless you are hurt." The wild finish overshadowed a breakout performance by New York left fielder Benny Agbayani, who went 4-for-4 with two homers and four RBI. Agbayani is 14-for-27 (.519) since being recalled from the minors last week. "I just want to establish myself," said Agbayani. "I just want to come here and help the team win games." Mike Piazza added three hits, including a homer, for New York. The All-Star catcher has homered in three straight games, giving him seven this season. Mets starter Al Leiter (2-4) was tagged again, allowing six runs and nine hits over five innings. Franco's save was his 12th in as many chances. "I did some good things out there," Leiter said. "I made some good pitches. I gave up some bloop singles. I just have to continue what I am doing and hopefully things will turn around." "Al got a win, the team got a win. I think if you count it, they had 30 foul balls off him. They did a good job fighting off pitches. But he got a win and that's the bottom line," said Mets manager Bobby Valentine. Milwaukee starter Jim Abbott (0-5) was saddled with the loss, despite leaving with a 6-5 lead in the fifth. He was done in by reliever Steve Falteisek, who surrendered three homers in 2 2/3. "He didn't do very well today," Garner said of Abbott. "He is not throwing strikes with his breaking ball. He is still in the rotation." After the Brewers stranded a runner at third in the first, the Mets got to Abbott for four runs after two were out in the bottom half. John Olerud and Alfonzo sandwiched walks around a single by Piazza. Ventura followed by depositing a 3-2 pitch just over the right-field wall for his 11th career grand slam. Ventura's 11 grand slams are two behind than Baltimore's Harold Baines, the active leader. Milwaukee got within 4-3 in the third following a run-scoring double by Lou Collier and RBI singles by Jeromy Burnitz and Grissom. After the Mets wasted a leadoff double in the third, the Brewers knotted the contest in the fourth when Leiter's error allowed Ochoa to score. New York took a 5-4 lead in the fourth when Abbott's throwing error plated Agbayani. Milwaukee rallied for a 6-5 edge in the fifth on a two-out, two-run double by Ochoa. New York answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame when Agbayani greeted Falteisek with his second homer of the season. The home run, which scored Piazza and Alfonzo, gave Leiter an opportunity to post his first victory since April 22. Allen Watson held Milwaukee in check before Piazza added a two-run blast in the sixth to extend New York's lead to 10-6. Agbayani's homer in the seventh pushed the lead to five, but Jeff Cirillo responded with a three-run homer in the eighth to draw the Brewers within 11-9. Ron Belliard had a career-high three hits to fuel the Brewers' 13-hit attack. The Mets stopped losing streaks of three games overall and four at home. --=-=-- 