Dr. Santana Give Mets A Boost

METS 4

PIRATES 0

Once again Johan Santana was marvelous for the Mets, as the $137 million man gave the Mets and their beleaguered bullpen a needed boost as he went the distance for his second complete game victory of the season. Santana threw 113 pitches in the effort.

This is the second complete game for Santana this year. A couple of weeks ago, Santana pitched brilliantly in a 9-1 victory over the St.Louis Cardinals for a 105 pitch complete game performance when the Mets needed it most. Today, he did so again, striking out seven and walking none. Santana gave up only three hits on the day. He is now 11-7 on the year with a 2.75 ERA.

Offensivley the Mets didn't have to do much to give Santana enough to work with. With Dan Murphy on second, Brian Schnieder blasted a homerun over the gigantic scoreboard in right field to give New York a 2-0 lead. It was Schineders fourth homer of the season, and second on this roadtrip.

Fast forward to the fourth and Schnieder delivered again, as singled down the right field line to bring home Carlos Beltran, who slid in ackwardly, as he barely touched the plate with his fingers.
Finally in the sixth, Beltran blasted a homer of his own, his 17th, over the right field scoreboard to make it 4-0.

The win is the Mets sixth straight victory. The Mets play one more in Pittsburgh tomorrow afternoon. Also, the Florida Marlins lost their game, and will fall to four and a half behind the Mets, and the Phillies, after losing last night in San Diego, are two back of the Mets.