Harris Has Big Role in Changing the Mood of Downcast Mets

The meeting lasted less than 10 minutes and was hardly fraught with oratory.

Few baseball meetings are.

“Guys were walking around with their head down, and it seemed like we were getting use to losing,” said the New York Mets’ Lenny Harris, who had a season-high three hits in his team’s 7-5 victory in 11 innings Monday night at Toronto.

“It was good that we had a meeting. [Manager] Bobby Valentine said a lot of things that made a lot of sense, and it touched some people in here.”

The Mets had lost nine of their previous 12 games and learned that third baseman Robin Ventura would be out for at least two weeks because of a bruised rotator cuff.

They were down.

And then they were up when Mike Piazza hit a tiebreaking RBI grounder in the 11th inning.

“Bobby said not to worry and don’t give up,” Harris said. “This team can’t feel sorry because Robin is out.”

Harris replaced Ventura at third base for the Mets, who already are without Gold Glove shortstop Rey Ordonez for the remainder of the season because of a broken arm.

Turk Wendell, one of five Met relievers that held Toronto hitless over the final six innings, said the team will remain positive in Ventura’s absence.

“Any time you lose a Gold Glove fielder and a hitter of his caliber it’s going to hurt, but we’ve got depth,” he said.

After Toronto reliever Pedro Borbon (1-1) gave up a single to pinch-hitter Benny Agbayani and walks to Derek Bell and Edgardo Alfonzo, Piazza hit a grounder up the middle to second baseman Homer Bush, who threw to second for the force. Todd Zeile followed with an RBI single to make it 7-5.

John Franco (4-3) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win. Armando Benitez worked the 11th inning for his 21st save in 25 chances.

“The Mets have a good ‘pen,” Toronto catcher Darrin Fletcher said. “I thought their ‘pen did a great job last year during their run. They showed a lot of heart.”

Down 5-4in the eighth inning, the Mets tied it when Harris singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Bell’s RBI single.