Hernadez Homers Then Gets Hurt

Mariners 5

Mets 2

Here is one thing we know about the Mets...they amaze you. They amaze you by the fact that they are only 3 1/2 games behind Philadelphia in the NL East, and they amaze you in the way they lose.

In the top of the second with two out and pitcher Felix Hernandez striding to the plate with the bases loaded, one would think that Johan Santana would be able to blow by the 22-year-old phenom with a couple of nasty fastballs; maybe even a deadly sinker?

Instead, Hernandez lifted the first pitch the oppisite field off the scoreboard in right for a grand slam homerun. The stadium screamed in shock.

It was the first homerun by a American League pitcher in 37 years, 1971 to be exact, when the AL used to allow pitchers to hit.

With the 4-0 lead in his back pocket, Hernandez baffeled the Mets for four and two thirds until suffering a sprained ankle, when his leg got caught underneath Carlos Beltran in a play at the plate. Hernandez skipped around the infield in extreme pain to the delight of the Shea faithful, who cheered Philadelphia style to the pitchers suffering.

Typical of the season for the Mets, they never took advantage. They failed to hit Seattle's mediocore bullpen; but what do expect from a mediocore offense like the Metropolitans? Miricles?

Down 5-1 in the ninth, Beltran drove in Louis Castillo to cut the deficit to three. Seattle then brought in Arthur Rhodes, who shut down both Carlos Delgado and Damien Easley with strikeouts to end the game.

Boxscore.