NL: Scary collision rattles Mets

SAN DIEGO - Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran sprinted toward the sinking liner, both outfielders watching the ball and diving toward the same spot.

They didn't see each other and smashed face to face in what many of their New York teammates said was one of the scariest collisions they've seen. The Mets who ran to the fallen pair during the seventh inning of Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Padres said Cameron was dazed and bleeding from the mouth.

Cameron was taken off the field on a stretcher, his body immobilized and his neck in a brace, and had two CT scans at Mercy Hospital. He broke his nose, had multiple fractures of both cheekbones and a slight concussion and was to be hospitalized overnight, Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said. Cameron was placed on the disabled list.

Beltran had a sore left shoulder and a cut near his left temple. He was to have a CT scan and possibly head to Los Angeles to rejoin the Mets, who open a series against the Dodgers tonight.

"I don't remember anything of what happened," Beltran said. "I don't remember how it happened, I know we got hit. I feel like I got hit by a train."

Beltran said he felt lucky.

"Of course, after a collision like that, I feel good that I'm okay. My shoulder feels sore, but I'll be fine."

Cameron was fully extended diving for David Ross' soft liner when he and Beltran collided, falling into a heap. The game was delayed for about 13 minutes as the players were tended to by trainers from both teams, then paramedics.

Cameron lifted his head at one point and shielded his eyes from the sun as he was put onto a stretcher. Beltran got up after a few minutes and eventually walked off.

First baseman Marlon Anderson was the first player to reach the fallen outfielders.

Cameron "was dazed, kind of not really there," Anderson said. "I was like, "Cam, can you hear me?' He mumbled, "Yeah,' but he wasn't there. You could tell he wasn't right.

"I couldn't imagine being a paramedic going to the scene of a wreck. That's what that was, pretty much, a wreck."

"I couldn't go over there, man," leftfielder Cliff Floyd said. "Once I saw the blood, I'm not good with blood. It choked me up for a minute. We were laughing and giggling one minute, the next minute, a man's down on the ground, both of them."

Neither Cameron nor Beltran caught the ball, which went for a triple. Shortstop Chris Woodward sprinted out to get the ball and throw it into the infield.

When play resumed with the score tied at 1, Eric Young grounded out to second, then Joe Randa singled to center to bring in Ross with the winning run.

ASTROS 6, NATIONALS 3: Andy Pettitte won for the sixth time in eight starts for host Houston. Ryan Drese lost his fifth straight start for Washington, which has dropped five of six to fall three behind the Astros in the wild-card race.

CUBS 11, CARDINALS 4: Greg Maddux pitched his first complete game in more than a year, Derrek Lee hit two home runs and host Chicago snapped an eight-game losing streak. Maddux won his 314th game, tying Gaylord Perry for 16th on the all-time list.

GIANTS 5, BRAVES 3: Former Devil Ray Randy Winn hit a two-out, two-run homer in a three-run seventh, and visiting San Francisco avoided a sweep.

D'BACKS 3, MARLINS 1: Troy Glaus and Chad Tracy homered in the eighth to support Brandon Webb's strong outing for visiting Arizona, which avoided being swept in the three-game series.

DODGERS 5, PHILLIES 1: Odalis Perez pitched eight solid innings and Jeff Kent provided the go-ahead runs with a two-run double for host Los Angeles.

PIRATES 11, ROCKIES 3: Jose Castillo had a two-run triple among his three hits, and Jason Bay had three runs for visiting Pittsburgh.

[Last modified August 12, 2005, 01:12:04]