Mets throw it away in the 11th

Mark Loretta scored on a throwing error by first baseman Jeremy Reed and the Dodgers beat the New York Mets, 3-2, in 11 innings Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

The bases were loaded with one out when Orlando Hudson hit a grounder to Reed, whose throw to the plate was wide of the mark.

The Mets lost a run in the top of the inning when Ryan Church failed to touch third base on the way to the plate on Angel Pagan’s single and the Dodgers appealed.

Dodgers starter Randy Wolf had his fourth consecutive strong outing but left without a decision after giving up two earned runs and six hits in 7 2/3 innings.

And the left-hander nearly was overshadowed by Tim Redding, who gave up only two hits and two runs in six innings in his first start of the season as the teams opened a three-game series in front of 37,136.

Both teams came into the game leading their National League divisions amid stout records so far in May, which for the Dodgers included a 4-2 record in their just-completed road games against the Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins.

The Dodgers had a chance to go ahead in the eighth inning when catcher Russell Martin reached first base on an error and, two outs later, worked his way to third base. But pinch-hitter Loretta popped out against J.J. Putz to end the threat.

The Dodgers have won five of their last six games and are 12-5 in May.

The veteran Wolf (2-1), acquired by the Dodgers this year, continued to sparkle. In his previous outing, he had held the Phillies to one run over six innings in the Dodgers’ 9-2 win in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Wolf also had beaten the Mets more than any other team in his 11-year career (11 wins in 16 decisions) and seemed set to add another victory.

But after Pagan doubled in the eighth inning and Wolf retired the next two batters, Wolf was replaced by Cory Wade, who surrendered a single to Gary Sheffield that drove in Pagan and tied the score.

The Mets, meanwhile, had won 11 of their last 14 games and were first in the NL East by half a game over the Phillies before Monday’s game.

But the Mets received a blow Monday before the game, announcing that first baseman Carlos Delgado, 36, would undergo arthroscopic surgery today on his right hip.

Initially, it appeared the Dodgers might make quick work of Redding, 31, who opened the season on the disabled list because of a strained rotator cuff.

But after giving up two runs and one hit in the first inning Monday, Redding settled down and didn’t give up another hit until Hudson’s single with two out in the fifth inning. That extended Hudson’s hitting streak to nine games.

In the first inning, Dodgers leadoff hitter Juan Pierre walked and went to third on Rafael Furcal’s single.

Pierre then scored on Hudson’s slow grounder to first baseman Fernando Tatis, who threw too late to the plate.

After Andre Ethier flied out, Redding hit Martin to load the bases. And when James Loney flied to center field, Furcal tagged up and beat the throw from Carlos Beltran for the Dodgers’ second run.

New York answered with a run in the second inning when David Wright doubled -- extending his hitting streak to 10 games -- and scored on consecutive ground outs by Tatis and Ramon Martinez.

The Mets threatened again in the sixth inning when Wright hit another double, this one a ground-rule version that bounced into the seats in the right-field corner. But he was left stranded when Tatis lined to Hudson.

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james.peltz@latimes.com