Don't Do That: Mets 4 Braves 3

The good news (great news, actually) is that the Mets rallied from a late inning 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead going into the ninth inning at Shea on Wednesday night. The bad news is that Billy Wagner's high-wire save act nearly ended disastrously, with Wagner allowing the bases to be loaded on two singles and a walk....with no one out.



Luckily Wagner recovered enough to get a force out at home on the next batter, and then a game ending double play to seal the victory over the Braves and return the Mets lead in the N.L. East to 4 1/2 games. I know most Mets fans were holding both their breath and their heads in their hands as the drama unfolded, but somehow fate managed to smile upon the Mets faithful once again (so far, Wagner has blown only one save opportunity this year, but it sure does seem like it's been four or five).


Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez pitched well for most of his stint, barring the sixth inning when the Braves struck for their three runs with two outs to give the visitors a 3-1 lead. With Carlos Beltran still out, and David Wright struggling mightily against Braves pitching, it was looking increasingly likely that the rest of the team was gonna have to step up against John Smoltz, who was pitching very well up to that point, the sole run the Mets got in the first was an unearned one.


Fortunately, Luis Castillo drove in his first runs as a Met with a two-run broken bat single to tie the score in the seventh, and then Moises Alou hit his first home run in Shea this year to give the Mets the 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth, which led to the ninth inning dramatics (and unnecessary heartburn for Mets fans.)


Oh, and though I haven't ever talked about Barry Bonds here up to this point, because I just don't care for the most part, I was still laughing when I noticed the fan who caught the ball was wearing a Mets jersey. Seeing the scrum for the ball Tuesday night, and with the SFPD officers rushing in to make sure no was dismembered, I sort of feared for the person at the bottom of the pile, but it was certainly nice to see Matt Murphy "from Queens, New York" bloodied but unbowed. Lovely, just lovely Matt, about the most perfect ending for this home-run scenario that could have been scripted.



METS RECAP

MATT MURPHY STORY IN SFGATE