INTERLEAGUE Cameron's blast leads Mets past Tribe

His homer ended a month-long dry spell in the 6-2 win.
NEW YORK (AP) -- For a guy who once hit four home runs in a game, the dry spell Mike Cameron was struggling through was starting to get him down.
Cameron hadn't hit homered since May 10 -- until he connected Tuesday night and led the New York Mets to a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.
There was a touch of urgency to Cameron's at-bat in the fifth with the game still scoreless and rain in the air.
"You try to go out there and get something on the board pretty quick," Cameron said.
"It gets us on the board. It was definitely nice to continue the momentum I've got."
Cameron is playing in pain because of a damaged pinkie injured in a slide home early in the season.
His batting average plummeted below .200, but manager Art Howe is sticking with him -- largely because of his defense.
Game delayed by rain
Cameron's homer in a game delayed 1 hour, 49 minutes by rain after the fourth inning gave him a five-game hitting streak during which he's batting .333. He also contributed a bases-loaded hit in Tuesday night's victory, no small accomplishment for the Mets, who have been dreadful in that situation.
Kaz Matsui had another bases-loaded hit that delivered two runs in the seventh after the Indians botched a bunt play, leaving no one to cover first base.
"The game got away from us in the seventh," manager Eric Wedge said. "We haven't had too many of those."
Costly seventh inning
In the seventh, Cameron reached on a throwing error by third baseman Casey Blake and stole second. After Eric Valent was walked intentionally, pinch-hitter Joe McEwing bunted and everyone was safe when Ronnie Belliard failed to cover first base.
"I just missed the sign," Belliard said. "I thought it was another play."
Matsui followed with a two-run single up the middle. It was just the eighth hit in 62 chances with the bases loaded for the Mets.
McEwing scored when Todd Zeile hit into a double play.
Five Met pitchers combined on a five-hitter with the win going to Ricky Bottalico (3-1), who replaced starter Jae Seo after the long rain delay.
Omar Vizquel ruined the shutout bid with an RBI groundout in the ninth off Braden Looper, and Travis Hafner added an RBI double.