postGame: Mets 7 Braves 3
The Mets (69–57) defeated the Braves (56–70) by the score of 7 to 3 tonight in Shea Stadium.
The Mets have won seven of their last eight games, and remain one loss better than the Phillies for first place in the NL East.
For a recap, boxscore, stats, etc., go to SNY.tv.
The Mets opened the game by scoring two runs in the first inning, thanks in part to a well executed hit and run with Jose Reyes on first and Nick Evans at the plate.
However, the Mets did not get another hit until the eighth inning.
Oliver Perez hit a bump in the road during the third inning, letting up a walk and three singles on which three runs scored. Otherwise, he looked strong, despite not having his best stuff.
By the way, the Mets are 8–2 in Perez’s last 10 starts.
In the seventh inning, down one with a runner on first, and down 2–0 in the count, following a meeting at the mound, Luis Ayala rebounded to retire two hitters to end the inning.
Later, in the eighth, with one on, the Mets still down one, and with two outs, Aaron Heilman ended up walking a batter, despite having been up 1–2 in the count, but he too rebounded to get the inning’s final batter to pop up in foul ground to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, following two walks and infield dribbler from Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado ripped a two-run double off the wall in left, which kicked off a five-run rally that put the Mets up by four.
Why did Jerry Manuel has Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano throwing in the bullpen, with Scott Schoeneweis on the mound and the Mets up by four in the ninth. I don’t understand why he would even bother having a pitcher get up, stretch and throw, let alone two pitchers, considering the current state of the bullpen.
Speaking of which, and people think the Mets have bullpen issues. Ask a Braves fan to sing you a few bars of that song, assuming you can find a Braves fan.
The Mets continue their three-game series against the Braves tomorrow night in Shea, starting at 7 pm, with Mike Pelfrey (11-8, 3.91 ERA) taking on Jarr Jurrjens (11-8, 3.15 ERA).
