CHICAGO -- Tom Glavine joined pitching's most prestigious club with a vintage performance, changing speeds and fooling hitters in the manner that made him one of baseball's best.
The stylish lefthander from Billerica, Mass., earned his 300th victory last night with nervous family and friends looking on from near the Mets' dugout on the first base side. Glavine left with a five-run lead after 6 1/3 innings, and New York's bullpen held on for an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
"I think the feeling right now is probably relief," Glavine said. "At some point in time, I don't know when, the historic side of it will sink in. I know the company I'm in, and I'm as proud as can be to be in that company."
Wife Christine Glavine wiped tears from her eyes as Billy Wagner retired Mike Fontenot on a grounder for the final out. Glavine, who watched from the dugout, came out in a warm-up jacket and exchanged hugs and slaps with teammates. He then hugged his children and his wife, giving her a kiss, received congratulations from his parents, and waved to the crowd.
"It's over with now," he said after hugging his youngest son.
Glavine (10-6), who spoke with baseball commissioner Bud Selig, became the 23d pitcher with 300 victories, the first since former teammate Greg Maddux reached the milestone in 2004 while with the Cubs. The 41-year-old Glavine, only the fifth lefty to win 300, capped a momentous weekend in baseball. On Saturday, Barry Bonds hit his 755th homer to tie Hank Aaron's career mark and Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to reach 500 homers.
Now the question is: Will the latest 300-game winner be the last? Randy Johnson has 284 wins but back problems have plagued him and he turns 44 in September.
Six days earlier in his first try for No. 300, Glavine left with a one-run lead at Milwaukee only to watch his bullpen blow it.
Christine, who slumped in her seat at Miller Park, didn't have her hopes dashed this time -- although the bullpen made it close before the Mets pulled away late. Carlos Delgado backed Glavine with four RBIs, and Luis Castillo had four of New York's 16 hits.
Coming off a night of little sleep because two of his children were sick, Glavine felt drained early and put a towel soaked with ammonia on his head when he came off the field during the early innings.
Before a Wrigley Field crowd of 41,599 on a muggy night, and with flashbulbs popping all over the old neighborhood park, Glavine allowed two runs and six hits, struck out one, and walked one. He appreciated the warm reception he received on the road.
"The reaction was overwhelming," he said.
He left after Angel Pagan doubled on his 102d pitch, getting a high-five from manager Willie Randolph on the mound and a standing ovation as he left the field.
Guillermo Mota came in and gave up a single to Jason Kendall, then Pedro Feliciano relieved and gave up an RBI grounder to pinch hitter Jacque Jones. Fontenot's double made it a 5-3 game, bringing on Aaron Heilman, who retired Ryan Theriot on an inning-ending fly out.
After Delgado hit an RBI double in the eighth off Will Ohman, causing Christine Glavine to get up and applaud, Paul Lo Duca followed with a run-scoring single against Michael Wuertz.
Chicago had an early threat against Glavine in the third, but it ended with a leg injury on the base paths for Chicago star Alfonso Soriano. Running from first to third, Soriano pulled up lame and was easily tagged out. He will be out 2-4 weeks with a strained right quadriceps.
