NEW YORK (AP) -- Even in his NL days, Greg Vaughn never seemed to do well at Shea Stadium.

Vaughn lost a fly ball in left field to account for the only run, then struck out with two runners on base Saturday night, ending the New York Mets' 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

"I cost us the game," he said.

Al Leiter and three relievers handed Tampa Bay its first shutout in 85 games -- the longest streak in the major leagues -- since Cleveland's Charles Nagy and Mike Jackson did it last Aug. 28.

The Devil Rays lost a 1-0 decision for the first time in their three-season history.

"Maybe because I'm a pitcher, I think low-scoring games are the way baseball should be played and watched," Leiter said.

It was scoreless when Edgardo Alfonzo doubled off Steve Trachsel (3-6) to start the fourth inning. Alfonzo was still at second base two outs later when Todd Zeile lofted a high, catchable fly near the line.

Vaughn angled in, then circled around and headed back toward the wall. He could only watch helplessly as it hit near the bottom of the fence for an RBI double.

"I lost it in the sky. I never saw it," Vaughn said. "I ran in, lost it and the next thing I know I was running back. I was just looking all over the place for it."

Vaughn, starting for the first time since leaving a game May 26 because of a strained right hamstring, stood and stared at a replay on the scoreboard.

"It started off foul, there's no doubt about that," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "And then it curved back."

Vaughn roamed the outfield at Shea Stadium while with Cincinnati and San Diego in the past 3½ years. In that time, the slugger hit just .205 at the park, and his luck did not change during this return for interleague play.

In the ninth, a four-pitch walk to rookie Steve Cox brought Vaughn to the plate with runners on the first and second against Armando Benitez. Vaughn took a called third strike for the final out.

Vaughn is 0-for-6 with six strikeouts against Benitez. On Friday night, the Mets closer fanned Vaughn with two on to finish a 5-3 win.

"I'm battling right now, being out eight days," Vaughn said.

The Mets, with Mike Piazza back in the starting lineup, won for the sixth time in eight games. Piazza was forced to leave Wednesday night's game after his head was bloodied by Gary Sheffield's backswing at Los Angeles.

Piazza, who sustained a slight concussion and needed a stitch, came out wearing a hockey-style catcher's mask for the first time this season. He used it a few times last year.

The Devil Rays lost for the 15th time in 20 games, and dropped to 9-27 in interleague play. They also fell to 0-11 this year when facing a left-handed starter.

Leiter (6-1) gave up four singles and worked around five walks, four of them to Vaughn, in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out eight.

"I've seen Leiter do that. That's how Al pitches," said Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild, Leiter's pitching coach on the 1997 World Series champion Florida Marlins.

Reliever Dennis Cook ended the seventh by retiring Fred McGriff, looking for his 2,000th career hit, on a grounder with runners on first and second.

John Franco pitched a perfect eighth and Benitez finished for his 15th save in 16 chances.

Trachsel lost his fourth straight start, giving up six hits in seven innings. He is 1-6 in 10 interleague starts.

"If you get shut out, you're not going to win many games," Rothschild said.

Game notes
IF-OF Lenny Harris reported to the Mets, a day after they got him from Arizona for pitcher Bill Pulsipher. Harris, given the locker formerly used by Rickey Henderson, pinch hit in the seventh and lined out, stranding runners at first and second. ... Matt Franco made his first start of the season in left field for the Mets and caught the only fly ball hit to him. He left after six innings for defensive replacement Joe McEwing. ... Devil Rays starters have won only twice in the last 21 games.