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NEW YORK (AP) -- Brian Jordan took a trip to the World Trade Center, saw the horrors, then fed off the same spirit that has fueled the New York Mets.

With the Mets just one out away from a three-game sweep, Jordan hit a two-run homer that started a three-run ninth inning against Armando Benitez. Jordan homered again in the 11th off Jerrod Riggan, and the Atlanta Braves escaped with a 5-4 victory Sunday that kept them in the NL East lead.

"It was a home run or nothing," Jordan said. "I wanted to do something to wake this team up. We were pretty down. I hope this changes the momentum. We are very fortunate to still be in first place."

On Sunday morning, Jordan went to ground zero with teammates Javy Lopez and Jessie Garcia, and third-base coach Ned Yost, and police gave them a tour of the area of the area devastated by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Jordan was so moved that he, like the Mets, put aside his regular cap and wore a Port Authority hat for the first two innings Sunday.

"It was an emotional day for me," he said. "I was glad I got the chance to go down there and meet the cops and firemen. That's reality. Baseball's not reality in the same way. And I was really impressed by what these people are doing."

Hours after the tour, he caused a stunning turn for the Mets, who had been riding high on emotion, moving to the verge of sweeping Atlanta for the first time in 11 years.

Just after Benitez walked Marcus Giles leading off the ninth, Florida took a 4-3 lead at Philadelphia. The Mets were about to close within 2 1/2 games of the Braves and two of the second-place Phillies, and the crowd of 41,168 stood and cheered, fans remaining on their feet.

But Jordan homered with two outs, pinch-hitter Dave Martinez walked, Andruw Jones singled and B.J. Surhoff, another pinch-hitter, singled home the tying run.

"I don't have an excuse," said Benitez, who had converted his previous 17 save chances.

A few minutes later, Travis Lee homered with two outs in the ninth to tie the score for the Phillies, who went on to beat the Marlins 5-4 on Johnny Estrada's leadoff homer in the 10th.

"Obviously, it's a tough setback," Mike Piazza said.

The Mets, who have captured New York's hearts by giving time, money and soothing words to the victims of the terrorist attacks, had gone 22-5 since Aug. 17, cutting 10 games from their deficit.

But the Mets lost for the first time in six games since play resumed and have just 12 games left to make up a 4 1/2-game deficit. Philadelphia remained a half-game back of Atlanta.

"I still believe that something could happen," said Al Leiter, who allowed one run and three hits in eight innings, "We seem to find a way. I still believe we'll find a way."

Mets' fans had mocked the Braves with tomahawk chops in the eighth inning and serenaded Atlanta with chants of "Sweep! Sweep!"

But Benitez, who entered in the eighth inning of the first two games of the series, got his sliders up, overthrowing his pitches in the view of manager Bobby Valentine.

Jordan, who had his second multihomer game this season and the 11th of his career, hit both drives on sliders, the second off Riggan (3-3).

"You feel like you let down a lot of people," Riggan said. "It happens, but I wish it didn't happen today."

Jay Payton had put the Mets ahead in the second with an RBI single off Tom Glavine, and Joe McEwing made it 2-0 with a homer in the third.

Leiter, unbeaten since Aug. 15, took a one-hit shutout into the seventh before allowing Ken Caminiti's two-out RBI double.

Mets left fielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo helped preserve the lead in the eighth, running down Bernard Gilkey's one-out drive to the left-field warning track, then spinning and threw to shortstop Rey Ordonez, whose relay to third caught Cory Aldridge trying to advance.

Third baseman Robin Ventura fooled the pinch-runner, acting as if there was no play, and then tagged out Aldridge, who didn't slide.

It seemed like everything the Mets did would turn out well.

"I really thought we had something there," Leiter said. "I though after a play like that ..."

New York added two runs in the eighth off Rudy Seanez, who threw a wild pitch that set up Todd Zeile's RBI single, then threw another wild pitch that scored Piazza from third.

Atlanta then showed the resolve that has led the Braves to a record nine straight division titles.

"It was huge salvaging one game," said John Smoltz (3-3), who pitched the final three innings. "The Mets are good, but they're just playing on emotion. Unfortunately for them, it was a big turnaround."

But Smoltz still worries about the Mets.

"They have a darned good chance of catching the two teams ahead of them," he said.

While the Braves lead the NL East, their 80-69 record is the poorest of any first-place teams.

"We've done everything wrong that we can conceivably do wrong," Glavine said.

Game notes
Mets players will wear caps honoring the police, firefighters and medical workers for the remainder of the season. ... The Mets' last swept the Braves in a two-game series on April 24-25, 1990. ... Benitez blew a save for the third time in 44 chances.