Mets keep playoff hopes alive

After trailing by three runs in the seventh, New York fought back in the rain to move within one game of NL East-leading Philadelphia with three to play. The Mets also stayed tied atop the wild-card race with Milwaukee, which beat Pittsburgh 5-1 in 10 innings.

Rich Harden pitched six solid innings in his final playoff tuneup for the NL Central champions and lightly used rookie Micah Hoffpauir went 5-for-5 with five RBIs and his first two major league homers — including a tiebreaking shot in the seventh off Ricardo Rincon that gave Chicago a 6-3 lead.

But the Cubs, resting most of their stars, couldn't hold on.

Pitching what could be his final game for the Mets, Pedro Martinez left to a warm ovation with the score tied 3-all in the seventh. He pointed to the crowd and raised his first in the air.