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And the Mets (82-63) finally win the dam thing by a score of 13-10 over the Nationals (56-90) at Shea Stadium tonight. 
For a recap, boxscore, stats, etc., go to SNY.
As I try to figure out where to start describing this barn burner of a game a few questions come to my mind:
- Has anyone started to print “TEAM TIGHTROPE” shirts yet?
- Is there a clause in the Nationals’ contacts to give Mets fans heartburn in September?
- Was Lastings Milledge trying to be the first one to play in Citi Field?
- Will we ever see Aaron Heilman pitch again for the Mets?
These may or may not be answered tonight, however, in typical fashion, the Mets scored in the first inning after David Wright smacked his 40th double of the season and later came home on a Carlos Beltran single.
After Fernando Tatis used his “go, go gadget” cleats to make a splendid catch, Elijah Dukes hammered a game-tying solo home run in the top of the second.
The Mets had a milestone 3rd inning as Jose Reyes became the all-time franchise leader in stolen bases followed with RBI hits by David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Damion Easley and Fernando Tatis.
By the way Matt, Luis Aguayo didn’t take your advice and drink decaf tonight.
The 7-1 lead didn’t hold for long as the Nationals chipped away at Mike Pelfrey, who wasn’t his sharpest tonight, scoring one run in the fourth and three runs in the fifth inning.
I am sorry, but how does Dukes have a professional job as his antics tonight were beyond immature.
For all of the good stuff you heard about the charitable Aaron Heilman tonight, you had to feel a little bad for him out there when he gave up a tying home run to Cristian Guzman in the 6th inning.
If you missed it, Jerry Manuel’s look from the dugout said it all.
Guzman hit another big home run in the 8th inning, cutting the Nationals deficit to one.
However, the biggest story of the night were the bats of Wright and Beltran, who were a combined 7-9 with 5 RBI, 6 R, 2 2B and 1 HR.
The Mets are now 3.5 games ahead of the Phillies after tonight’s win and the Phillies loss this afternoon.
A three-game series against the Braves starts Friday night at Shea when Mike Hampton (2-2) takes the hill against Johan Santana (13-7).
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So – all those people that wanted to drop Wright to the 5 hole last night… What do you have to say for yourselves?
Just kidding, but I knew he’d come around. Different hero every night!
Let’s go Mets!
Wright was an absolute beast. I think it may be safe to say he’s out of the slump.
Was at tonight and last night’s games. I am absolutely exhausted from the most ridiculous 18 innings I think I’ve ever seen.
As for Dukes, he also gave the fans behind the Nats dugout the WWE [F] style ’suck it’ at one point. Dude’s got issues.
Glad there’s an off day tomorrow, I need a break.
that is not a terrible idea as the intentional walk to Carlos Delgado is likely to become sport the next two weeks
Its still as good an idea as it was earlier. One good game doesnt change anything.
He has become more of a power hitter than an OBP guy with pop. So he is more of a 4/5 hitter than a 3 hitter right now. If Beltran is going to be as productive as he has been recently then he would be a great three hitter. So long as he doesnt start bunting again…
Beltran, Delgado, Wright, Church might be the way to go again righty starters giving Delgado the protection he needs to continue to see pitches, or having guys behind him who can drive him in when he gets pitched around.
he has the highest OBP on the team…HELLO
METS MAGIC NUMBER IS NOW 14!
WON. DER. FUL. Great win boys. 3.5 games up, baby, 3.5 games up. I was waiting for that Wright HR all night. And let me be the first to congratulate the Angels on their division win. I don’t think anyone saw it coming.
4 in the loss column
haha. you think manny acta, a major league manager would tell his player to move in.
So glad we won tonight. But I think they really are trying to kill me.
Difference is with this year, if we don’t have the lead or lose the lead, I really, really think we’re gonna come back and get it done. Gotta love those bats lately.
But man – all I can say is ‘Whew’.
Milledge playing so far back was a constant source of hilarity.
I laughed so hard when I saw he fell down.
Surprised there was no mention aboue the Dukes incident.
I was just thinking the same thing… Not only is the guy a big time punk, but he completely turned heel on the crowd in the ninth, WWF style.
Seriously, were his ninth inning antics not reminincent of a bad wrestler?
world wildlife fund?
outstanding
Haha, “turned heel” nicely done.
Jerry on post game pretty funny on this subject. They asked him why they let that whole incident linger so long on the field. Jerry said ‘I don’t know, I never met Dukes. I really just don’t know what was going on’. Someone asked him if he wanted to meet him. Jerry laughed, shook his head and said ‘well, he’s got a quick bat, that much I do know’.
Very politically correct – hahahaha.
is the “win the dam(n) thing” an ode to bob murphy’s great call? i think it wasagainst the phillies after they almost blew a 10 run lead in like 91?
The win was UGLY, but a win, nonetheless.
You would think Milledge would’ve learned after the 5th ball he could’ve gotten to move in.
i was really hoping that the mets would hold a 6+ run lead into the 8th or 9th inning so someone could put a pitch right into elijah dukes back. my god what a idiot. swiping over cups of water on his teamates?!?! making gestures towards the fans?!?! my god this guy idiot. you couldn’t pay me to put him on my roster.
but I bet we all got a good laugh out of it!
i sure did. i can’t imagine his teamates or his manager being happy with his childish behavior.
maybe he can get his name changed to elijah ocho cinco. lol.
Best post on the blog today!
Haha, oh, come on, this Dukes guy makes Chad Johnson look like noted missionary surgeon and 1952 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Albert Schweitzer.
Can’t imagine having this guy in the locker room. I think team chemistry and all that is kind of overrated in baseball, but this guy is the very definition of a “team killer” (I guess you could take that literally and figuratively).
exactly. for a team that’s has some decent young talent, i’m not sure why you would want someone so poisonous in the same locker room.
my sept. beltran explosion is coming true! with church getting it going, this offense is unstoppable.
You must have a crystal ball or some sort of ability to see the future. I don’t know how you do it.
Nice wrap, Brandon. FYI with this team, heartburn should be expected every day.
David Wright 4-4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs…let’s hope this gets him out of his slump and gets him hot with the bat again. we need him.
4 runs
Losing either tonight’s or last nights game would have been pretty frustrating. Though I would have to say I probably would have been more upset if we lost yesterday considering the Nats scored 6 of their 8 runs via singles and only had 1 extra base hit the whole game. That is the definition of “pesky”.
If no one in the media says anything about Dukes and his interaction with the fans, I swear I’ll take everyone out(if Reyes doesn’t get them first). If Reyes did that, everyone would be saying he’s immature and he needs to grow up.
are u kidding me? if reyes acted like that people would be picketing outside of Shea to have reyes thrown in jail. all kinds of protest groups would come out and express their disgust with his actions. Even unrelated groups such as M.A.D.D would get in on the action.
youre right and if he did they would be right, because you know what….Dukes does need to grow up….gary said so on tv and remember hes not on our team, so our media is not going to make a big deal about him…stop trying to make reyes look better by other peoples failures…shouldnt we as the fans set the bar higher for our players?
I hope everyone on the Nationals pointed out to Dukes that not only was Pelfrey not trying to hit him but he ball wasn’t even close.
i’ve never seen that before
wow, what a game. the willie mets lose this game.
i feel a 4 game winning streak coming with johan pitching on friday.
as gordon gecko would say: greed is good…let’s get greedy and sweep the braves
The Willie Mets already clinched, sorry, try again.
The Willie Mets would have been too busy drinking that sweet tasting champagne from last season to have won last night’s game.
These were two very big, very important series. Could we hold the Phillies off, with the echoes of last year’s sweep in everyone’s heads, and could we beat the Nats, a team we’re supposed to beat, unlike last year? Yes, to both. This team knows they can win, and they set about doing it (tortured as the process might be).
I SO want a Team Tightrope t-shirt.
Also, like last night, I’m going to make a habit of going running every weeknight game the rest of this month around the 6th/7th inning so I don’t have a freaking stroke at 23.
I was watching the Nats broadcast, and they didn’t focus at all on Milledge in the field, so I didn’t really see where he was. Why was he playing so deep?
Also “Pelfrey didn’t look his sharpest tonight” might be the understatement of the week. But, it doesn’t really matter because they won. This was a crazy series, but to come out on top in both games was awesome. I’ll take this every time.
the mets starting pitching has been very suspect of late. i hope they aren’t burning out.
Boy, are the Nationals the whiniest team in baseball or what? Even Acta is a gigantic baby. The Mets should be paid a fee for having babysat these clowns for 3 hours.
Great writeup Brandon, and a most excellent and fitting graphic!
Frankly, I’m not surprised one bit the Nats are playing us hard…I would expect the same thing from the Braves as well. However, it is good to see the Mets battling these teams with all they got and not taking them for granted.
I didn’t get to see the game, but hearing this talk of Dukes has me curious as to what he was doing. Apparently making gestures at the fans among other things? Was there something that prompted this, or is he just crazy (or both)? If anyone wants to elaborate, I’m sure I, and anyone else who can’t watch the games, would appreciate it!
He is crazy.
he got tapped by a pitch from Pelf that wasn’t intentional and he began to challenge pelf to a fight in the middle of the game… immature. after that as he was walking back into the dugout in the ninth, the fans were booing him and he began gesturing to them to bring it on… he’s a jerk
Sounds like he’s just edgy cuz his team sucks.
Thanks for the clarification. ‘Preciate it.
Best recap ever.
I agree. Brandon Eddy should become the official postGame guy here! Well, except for Matt, of course.
eh, Brandon can keep doing it, Matt isn’t exactly waxing poetic in his postgames
The Milledge in Citi Field line is excellent.
Howie made that call in the first…not sure if that’s where he heard it.
dukes definately has serious issues.
i hope that mlb is pro-active before the guy does something on the field that they’ll regret. get the kid some help.
Manuel’s face said it all – there’s no way Heilman is part of any playoff roster for this team…unless we want to one-up BY Kim in the 2001 World Series.
i totally agree. Heilman cannot be on the playoff (knock on wood) roster, if we get there. not only has he pitched poorly, he gives up home runs in the absolute worst spots.
If we have the usual starting 8 (Tatis and Church in the outfield corners and Easily at second), and the 4 starters are Santana, Pelfrey, Perez and Martinez, the bench should be E. Chavez, Murphy, Evans, Castro (or Cancel if he’s hurt) and ______ .. i just know the bullpen should be smith, show, Felciano, Stokes, Ayalia and two others
BY Kim actually had nasty stuff in that series and got owned by the LUCKY Yankees. Heilman is throwing the ball DOWN THE FREAKING PIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see Aaron Heilman as being on the Steve Trachsel Post Season Roster Track.
Lastings was so deep, that on the pick off attempt, had Beltran known immediately that the ball was loose he actually could have scored from 2nd.
I can’t beleive Ayala got away quick pitchig A.Hernandez in the 9th. He started his wind up as he put his first foot in the batters box, which is why A.Hernandez tried to get time out. Have not seen that work since little league.
True on Ayala’s pitch, but A-Hern did take a LONG time getting to teh plate as a pinch hitter. Ayala and the rest of us just got tired of waiting.
Plus, a guy with A-Hern’s cred should NOT get to call timeout on the first pitch. Swing the bat, Lupus.
Amen…… Who does A.Hern think he is trying to dictate the pace of the game?
I was in the right field loge tonight and it was amazing the way we were getting on Dukes. “Dukes, YOU SUCK” was pretty much a constant from the fifth inning on when the Nats were in the field. He acknowledged us by nodding his head in time with the chants and then, of course, the mock curtain call as he took the bench after grounding out in the ninth. “Duke’s a homo” and “how’s your wife” were also in there.
On the Dukes issue:
I think we found a pitcher who isn’t afraid to hit somebody. Watch the replay. As soon as Dukes turns, Pelf is right in his face.
Quite refreshing for a franchise that is apparently afraid to hit the other team intentionally.
Yeah, but why does Pelf only hit crazy people (Cody Ross and Dukes). If I was Manny, I would be careful facing Pelf.
Dukes was acting based on the Cody incident. Besides, who in the world is Dukes? Earn ur stripes before you act like a fool.
it continues to boggle my mind how Aaron Heilman just simply cannot get people out. How can you throw a fastball DOWN THE PIPE to a hitter like Guzman in that situation. How many times will we as Mets fans have to endure the heartache that is Heilman. Lets get this guy out of town and move on. It didn’t work in 2006 (still shaking my head about that one) and it will NEVER work! Lets stop the nonsense and move on already!!! I just can’t take it anymore!
Heilmann is absolutely useless! I can’t stand the sight of him. It is beyond ridiculous. They stated tonight that he has giving up the most homeruns ever for the Mets with guys on base. And the season isn’t over yet.
If I saw him walking down the street I would not hesitate to run up to him and put my fist right between his eyes with exteme force!
a lopsided win for the Mets is out of the question right? I’m petitioning for free tums, pepto, alka-seltzer, pepcid (or antacid of your choice) with admission to Shea.
Don’t forget he Ambien on games where they actually lose these kinds of games.
Report from D.C. –
– Ray Knight is the color guy on the Nats TV games– he’s pretty good (Ron Darling used to have the job but he was horrible –looks like he’s improved a lot).
– The play-by-play guy, Bob Anderson, is another story –he gushes like a soccer mom when a Nats player hits a foul ball. Not all his fault — he doesn’t have much to work with.
– With Crazy Olllie popping out of the jack-in-the-box and Pelfrey having little experience in a pennant race, clinching before the last series against Florida should be a priority.
– The Nats knew what they were getting with Dukes, but he has talent and was worth the risk. I’m more puzzled about Acta, who had a terrible series. I think he’s seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s getting to him.
– May try to catch one of the games here next week — seats should be cheap and plentiful (you could park a recreational vehicle in the first base loge).
Acta is not a very good manager. He was hired based on the success of the 2006 Mets. With your starting pitcher struggling, how can you walk to load the bases? Granted I know Delgado is hot right now, but he was able to get him to ground out with a slider earlier in the game. This is just one in many such decisions in a season where the Nats opened up a new stadium.
All I know is I love how big bad Pelf doesn’t back down when a hitter barks at him. Now if I was as big as him I wouldn’t back down from anything other than a grizzly bear, but still its good to see him not take any lip from punks like Dukes
I gotta think Aaron will never throw a pitch for this team again.
well, with no 5th starter they might need a long man to mop up after Figueroa or Niese.
Three things.
Cafe Press.
Dukes?
Heilman?
I’m not suprised that Nats were up for this mini-series. Since they went on their 12 game losing streak back in August, they’ve really been a much better team. That had consecutive sweeps vs. LA, Atlanta, then took 2 of 3 from Philly before splitting a 4 game series vs. Atl again.
I can’t say I’m looking forward to the 4 game set next week.
Yea, MASN showed a stat that Dukes, Milledge and Zimmerman have only been healthy at the same time and on the roster together for 36 games this year. The Nats are now 21-15 in those games.
Big ups to Pelf throwing tight to Dukes after that kiss towards the dugout and not backing down. I know he’s 6′7″ but Dukes is a big dude and mentally unstable. I hope Mike’s ready for some picture messages with a machete in them.
Why does Manual use Argenis Reyes as a PH every night?
With the expanded rosters there should be plenty of better options. There is no need to use AR as a PH. He is a pinch runner and defensive replacement. Yet he has been the most active PH since he was called back up…
WOuld you rather Marlon?
In the spots where they are wasting A. Reyes… yes!!
If they PH Marlon in a useless spot then his night is over. If they PH Reyes then they have to move him into the field or lose him as a defensive replacement for the night.
They should pack up his bats, he shouldnt need them until the Mets clinch and Reyes gets off days.
You’re absolute trash, sir. You disgrace Met fans and frankly a generation that is in the year 2008, not 1850, with comments like that. I hope Cerrone bans you or at least suspends you being allowed to post on this site. Unacceptable, jerk.
The Mets should shut down Heilman for the year so he doesnt lose any more value than he already has…
can we actually hope that Heilman, Castillo, and cash can bring anything of value in return? Even just a useful middle reliever would be enough.