NEW YORK (AP) -- Joey Votto came oh-so-close to matching the major league record with a home run in eight consecutive games, but Javier Baez did clear the fence in his New York debut and the Mets rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in 10 innings Saturday night.
With the Mets down to their final strike, Dominic Smith hit a tying single off Sean Doolittle in the ninth. Brandon Drury opened the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single against Luis Cessa (3-2), driving in automatic runner Kevin Pillar from second base to win it.
Votto, riding a seven-game homer streak, laced a line drive that hit the orange padding atop the right-field wall in the eighth and bounced back into play -- mere inches from sailing over near the 370-foot sign.
A foot higher and Votto would have tied Dale Long (1956 Pittsburgh Pirates), Don Mattingly (1987 New York Yankees) and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. (1993 Seattle Mariners), the only players to homer in eight straight games.
The ball was hit so hard, Votto settled for a single.
Votto got one more chance, but struck out in the 10th.
