By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer

DENVER(AP) -- Pat Misch kept the Colorado Rockies guessing,
chasing and cursing.

Misch pitched seven solid innings for his first major league win
and David Wright drove in three runs in his second start since
coming off the disabled list, leading the New York Mets to an
8-3 win Thursday.

Catcher Josh Thole also picked up his first big league hit in
his first major league start, a single in the second inning,
followed by his first stolen base.

"Those are long dreams that are fulfilled before our very eyes,"
Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "It's exciting seeing a guy get
his first win in a game another guy gets his first hit in his
first game."

The Mets avoided a three-game sweep by the Rockies, who kept
their one-game lead over San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.
The Giants lost 2-1 at Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Misch (1-1), who had gone 0-8 as a starter with San Francisco in
2007 and '08 and was waived by the Giants this summer, finally
won in his 13th major league start and 55th appearance over four
seasons.

"It's stuff you dream of and think about. I never thought it
would take this long," said Misch, who was pacing in the dugout
in the ninth. "I stayed out to watch until the game ended. I had
to watch it. I didn't want it to end."

The left-hander was working on a shutout before Chris Iannetta
and Ian Stewart hit consecutive homers in the seventh to make it
6-2.

"I mentioned to him after his last outing that he reminded me of
(Tom) Glavine early in his career: similar in style, throwing
off-speed pitches at any time in the count," Manuel said.

Pedro Feliciano pitched the final two innings and surrendered
Clint Barmes' 22nd homer, but it was another solo shot for the
Rockies. The Mets responded with Daniel Murphy's two-run shot
off Joe Beimel in the ninth.

"I did not know it was Pat's first victory until we got into
here," Thole said in the clubhouse after the game. "One of my
teammates said we have to share the lineup card. I'll give it
all to him."

Misch allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three.

"We chased the ball up in the zone and we popped the ball up,"
Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "He doesn't have an overwhelming
fastball and I'm sure that the ball coming to our hitters looked
attractive. But that's a popup pitch."

Wright went 3 for 4 in his second start since coming off the
15-day disabled list with a concussion courtesy of a Matt Cain
fastball on Aug. 15.

"I felt like I was back on my game," Wright said.

The All-Star third baseman went back to his old batting helmet,
ditching Rawlings' bulky, new S100 model that made him look like
a bobblehead running the bases earlier in the series.

"It's just not comfortable," Wright said of the new helmet that
will be required in the minors next season. "The last thing I
need to worry about in the box is to try to shove it on my head.
I will stay with the one I used today."

Wright's two-run double just inside the first-base bag
highlighted a four-run fifth inning off Jason Marquis (14-10).

"It was one of my better pitches," Marquis said. "He put the
barrel on it and was probably thinking right field and it
sneaked by Todd (Helton)."

Wright's big hit was sandwiched by RBI singles from Angel Pagan
and Jeff Francoeur. Marquis left after the inning and was
charged with five runs and nine hits. He failed to tie his
career high of 15 wins.

"He wasn't right today," Tracy said.

Neither were the Rockies' hitters, thanks to the crafty Misch.

"The key was I minimized the traffic on the bases," he said.
"There wasn't any one on when they got the home runs.

"Josh called a great game. I thought we were on the same page
most of the game."

NOTES: An MRI on Rockies closer Huston Street's ailing right arm
was negative. Street was shut down Wednesday with biceps
tendinitis. "Anytime your arm's not feeling good, that's the
news you want to get, that it's just inflammation," Street said.
... Rockies CF Dexter Fowler (knee) will do a full workout
Friday at Coors Field with the intention of starting a rehab
assignment at Triple-A Colorado Springs on Saturday.