Mets Hang 10

METS 10
REDS 8

The Mets had to comeback twice in a wild, wild night in Cincinnati, beating the Reds 10-8, earning their 10th straight victory, which is their longest winning streak in a season since 1990!

The Mets thought they would not need 10 runs to win this one, with Johan Santana on the mound, but the lefty, once again, underperformed putting his club in another large hole.

With the Mets up 2-0 in the fourth, thanks to a Carlos Delgado two-run jack in the top of the inning; Santana surrendered back to back homers to Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnacion to tie the game at two. Then it got really wild. With two more men on base for the Reds, Jay Bruce doubled to right to bring home David Ross to give the Reds a 3-2 lead. Moments later ex-Met Jeff Keppinger laced a tripple to left center to bring home two more runs, giving Cincinnati a 5-2 lead. This chased Santana out of the ballgame.

Still the Mets chipped away. In the top of the fifth with Brian Schiender and Nick Evans on base with singles, David Wright, who has been struggling with runners in scoring position this year, singled to right to bring in both Schiender and Evans to get New York to within one, 5-4.

Then in the sixth, New York grabbed the lead. Delgado led things off with a single. Later Fernando Tatis hit a two run shot that just cleared the right field wall to give the Mets a 6-5 lead.

But the Mets leeky bullpen gave it right back.

Pedro Felicano, Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoenwise combined to blow the lead for the Mets, loading the bases and surrendering a bases clearing tripple to Javier Valentin to give Cincinnati an 8-6 lead. All three runs were charged to Heilman, but it was Schoenwise who gave up the back breaking hit.

One would think that the Mets would be down and out here; rarely this season have they showed that they can come back from adverse situations. But tonight was a different script.

In the ninth, Angenis Reyes singled to right center. Later David Wright cleared the right field wall with a two run homerun to tie the game at eight. Next Carlos Beltran singled to left, and Damion Easley singled to center. Finally Carlos Delgado singled to left-center to give New York the lead as Beltran scored from second and Easley moved to third.

Tatis, then put the nail in the cofin driving a double to the left field corner to bring home Easley. 10-8 Mets.

Stars of the night: David Wright 2 for 5, four RBI and a homerun. Carlos Delgado 3 for 4, three RBI and a homerun; Delgado is now batting .254. Fernado Tatis 3 for 4 with three RBI and a homerun.

The Mets (52-44) are now tied atop the NL East with the Philadelphia Phillies, who aquired Joe Blanton, tonight, from the Oakland Athletics.