NEW YORK - It might be remembered as the granddaddy of all salary drives.
While agent Scott Boras is undoubtedly pulling out the calculator every time his client - Braves right fielder J.D. Drew - has another big game, the team's leading run producer is downplaying his 21-game hitting streak and team-leading 24 home runs.
"It's nice to contribute in a big situation," said Drew, whose home run in the seventh inning was the difference in Sunday afternoon's 4-3 win over the Mets at Shea Stadium.
"I'm just trying to continue having good quality at-bats and keep (the streak) going. The big thing is getting in a rhythm and staying in it."
Winners of 12 of their past 16 games and 19 of 25, the Braves swept the abbreviated two-game series and remained a half-game ahead of the Phillies in the National League East.
Closer John Smoltz, who usually keeps his heart-in-your-throat moments to a minimum, came on with a runner on first and two out in the eighth and whiffed Mike Cameron, then ducked trouble in the ninth after second baseman Marcus Giles muffed David Wright's soft fly. Jason Phillips bunted Wright to second, then Smoltz induced pinch hitter Ty Wigginton to hit a fly and whiffed Jose Reyes to end the game.
"I thrive on getting somebody else out of trouble," said Smoltz, who saved both games against the Mets and now has 20 saves in 22 tries. "There's a lot to be said for momentum."
Facing his former team for the third time this year, Mike Hampton won a fourth straight start, pitching six innings and allowing three runs.
The 31-year-old left-hander surrendered a run in the first on Reyes' leadoff double and Cliff Floyd's sacrifice fly. He was in more trouble in the third when Phillips worked him for a walk, and one out later Reyes slapped an 0-and-2 mistake into right field, setting up Kaz Matsui's game-tying single. Only Chipper Jones' grab of Richard Hidalgo's inning-ending liner saved Hampton additional misery.
Five of Atlanta's first six hits against Mets starter Steve Trachsel were singles. The seventh was Drew's home run, a 385-foot blast over the right field wall on the 6-foot-4-inch, 205-pound right-hander's 1 and 1 delivery in the seventh.
"He's been our MVP this year," Jones said of Drew, who can become a free agent after the World Series. "He's been our one constant."
Reach Bill Zack at bzack30143@aol.com.
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