series off Reames. The Cardinals knotted the game at 3–3 in the fifth inning on run-scoring doubles by Édgar Rentería and Fernando Tatís after a one-out single. With the score still tied and two out in the top of the eighth, the Mets would put together a rally to take a 5–3 lead off of Matt Morris. A long single by Alfonzo would score Timo Pérez, who singled with two outs, and following an intentional walk to Piazza, Zeile would single home Alfonzo. However, in the bottom of the inning, John Franco walked Carlos Hernandez, who moved to third on a single and scored on a wild pitch. J.D. Drew's double off of Turk Wendell tied the game again. In the top of the ninth off of Mike Timlin, after Robin Ventura reached on a Will Clark error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and was pinch run for by Joe McEwing, rookie Jay Payton came through with his second game-winning hit of the postseason, nailing a single up the middle to score McEwing, as Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds allowed the ball to hop off the heel of his glove and roll behind him. Armando Benítez allowed a two-out walk to Jim Edmonds in the last of the ninth, but that was all the Cardinals were able to muster as the Mets took Game 2, 6–5, to take a 2–0 series lead. Game 3 Saturday, October 14, 2000 at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York The Cardinals would mark their first, and only, victory of the NLCS with an easy 8–2 victory. Jim Edmonds hit a two-run double in the top of the first inning off Mets starter Rick Reed. The Mets cut the lead to 2–1 in the bottom half on Mike Piazza's double-play after back-to-back leadoff singles put runners on first and third. In the third, with runners on first and second, Ray Lankford's RBI single and Fernando Tatis's sacrifice fly scored a run each. Next inning, three consecutive one-out singles, the last of which to Edgar Renteria scoring a run, knocked Reed out of the game. The Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but only scored once on Jay Payton's double play. In the fifth, after a leadoff double and subsequent single, Carlos Hernandez's RBI single off of Rick White made it 6–2 Cardinals. After a sacrifice bunt,