The 'Ropolitans

So when does Billy Wagner come back?

Pitching Performance

Oliver Perez was almost on tonight. He ended his night throwing six innings, giving up only three hits. Unfortunately, he also walked five, as he was just a tad wild. He managed to strike out four. Perez allowed only two runs while on the bump, including a solo home run from Josh Willingham, which was one of the longest home runs I've ever seen hit at a Marlins home game.

Wildly effective, at it's finest. Not great, not bad. He kept his team in the game and that's all that matters.

Brian Stokes came in for the seventh, and threw a perfect inning.

I really like the way Stokes pitches. Can we pencil him in for the bullpen next season, or is it wayyyyy too soon?

Joe Smith got into a tad of trouble, as he walked one and allowed a hit, but was able to work out of the inning without an issue.

Whew!

And here came the issues. Luis Ayala came in to close out the game with a three run lead. He ended up allowing four hits and two runs to score. He struck out one and was able to induce a ground ball with two outs and the tying runner on third base to end the game.

Seriously, when does Billy Wagner come back? This is getting scary. Very scary.

Offensive Output

The Mets played the "book end" game tonight. They scored one in the first and were quiet again until the ninth inning.

In the first (of course) the Mets got on the board early with a Carlos Beltran sacrifice fly to deep center field, plating Jose Reyes.

Skip to the ninth, with Luis Castillo at the plate and two outs. Castillo singled, followed by a David Wright single. Carlos Delgado got plunked to load the bases down by run with two outs. Beltran came to the plate again, and cashed in with a grand slam deep to right field on the first pitch.

I almost hurt myself jumping up and down and screaming when he hit that. If you didn't see, get to a TV and watch what he did to that ball. He crushed it. Wow.

Thank goodness for Beltran. Without him, they would have been sunk.

The Rest of the Story

Beltran drove in all five runs for the Mets tonight.

The Cubs beat the Phillies again, and the Mets opened up a two game lead.

Reyes has an eight game hitting streak.

Game Ball: Carlos Beltran, easy.