Just Another Mets-Phillies Game

It was another crazy, typical Mets-Phillies game. Where have we seen this before? As always, the Mets scored early and often. And as always, the Phillies scored late and often. When the Mets were winning 7-0 in the fourth inning, I was going to turn the TV off thinking there’s no way the Mets can win this game. And, unfortunately, they didn’t, losing 8-7. You’d normally say a loss like this would be devastating, but the Mets lose games like this pretty much every week. And almost every time they’ve lost to the Phillies this year, it’s been of the dramatic, come-from-behind variety. It’s almost expected. Couldn’t they just once lose 5-0? But the Mets have always bounced right back. We’ll see if they can do it once again.

There were a combined 1,091 games, 454 wins and 81+ years on the mound between last night’s starting pitchers. But they just looked old in this game. Jamie Moyer got rocked for six runs on nine hits in only three innings. Pedro Martinez dodged and weaved his way through the game, giving up five runs on seven hits while striking out eight. He only lasted five frames but it was probably one too many, after giving up home runs to Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard. Should Jerry Manuel have pulled Pedro before allowing Howard’s shot? Probably. The game lasted so long, Jamie Moyer went back out to the mound in the 13th inning because, after waking up from his nap, he thought it was time for his next start. In all, the teams ended up using all of their relievers, and the Phils inserted two starters as pinch hitters. The usual suspects of Duaner Sanchez, Pedro Feliciano and Scott Schoeneweis (the losing pitcher) were terrible. Luis Ayala gave up his first run as a Met. At least it didn’t come at an important time - with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in a one-run game with first place on the line (though if the relay throw was on target, Jason Werth would have been thrown out by 10 feet). But give credit to Aaron Heilman. He tossed three scoreless innings in the 10th, 11th and 12th.

The offense was up to its old tricks. They racked up seven runs in the first four innings. And how many did they score in the last nine? We don’t need to answer that. Damion Easley had four hits and was one double shy of a cycle. Fernando Tatis lofted a Citizens Bank Park home run and drove in four runs. And David Wright plated a run with a ground out, giving him 100 RBIs for the year. he’s the first player in Mets history to drive in 100 runs four times. Though I could have sworn Luis Lopez did that. But Wright was also thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, ending the 11th. Who does he think he is, A-Rod? The offense also made a note to themselves not to hit into rally-ending double plays in the 6th, 8th and 10th innings next game.

Other notes: Ramon Castro left the game with a strained right quad. Throw another injury onto the pile. The season better end soon because they won’t have any players left. There were a total of nine stolen bases in the game. Jimmy Rollins had five hits (and three SBs). Ryan Church and Pat Burrell both went 0-6. Burrell struck out three times and left so many runners on base, they had to recruit the 1976 Phillies to help stand on the bases. Both teams made spectacular defensive plays, which were game savers at the time.

It was another routine devastating loss for the Mets. And if you ask any Mets fan which team scares him the most right now, he’ll say “the Mets.”