Mets Win By Skin of Their Teeth

METS 10

PHILLIES 9

This game was a microcosim of the entire seaon for the New York Mets. They grabbed a quick 8-0 lead, extended it to 10-1, and somehow, someway bearly hung on to a 10-9 victory in Philadelphia.

The Mets are now 45-44, it is the first time they have been over .500 since June 5; and they are only 2.5 games out of first place.

The Mets got it going early and often in this one, as David Wright drove in Jose Reyes on a ground out. On this play Endy Chavez avoided the tag by Chase Utley to stay safe at second which was really heads up, becasue it kept the Mets out of a double play scenerio. Later in the inning Damion Easley who continues to swing a hot bat, drove in Chavez with a single.

In the second, Chavez showed off some more skill, driving in Brian Schneider with a single to center, and Wright proceeded to double in both Chavez and Reyes to give the Mets a commanding 5-0 lead.

Pedro Martinez was excellent tonight, considering how much he has struggled since coming off the DL in mid-June. Martinez gave the Mets five and third innings of five hit ball, while striking out six. He lowered his ERA to 6.86.

In the sixth, Wright hit his seventeenth homer of the year to give the Mets a 9-0 lead, but it was Pedro's single to drive home Carlos Beltran that proved to be the difference in the game.

Slowly the Phillies marched their way back. In the sixth Pat Burrell homered off of Martinez to make it 10-2, and in the seventh Shane Victorino drove in Jimy Rollins in with a single to make it 10-3. Still no need to be concerened, the Mets still had a substantial lead.

Then the controversy came. With a man on, Ryan Howard blasted a ball to right field, but it appeared that a fan reached over to touch the ball. The Umpires originally called it fan interference, but later changed that decision giving Howard a homerun, and making the game quite interesting at 10-5.

Jerry Manuel came out to argue the change, but he got tossed. It was Manuel's thrid ejection of the year, and second as manager.

Still the Phillies wouldn't go away. Geoff Jenkins who was marred in a 2-24 slump blasted a two run jack deep in the bleachers in right center off of Aaron Heilman to make it 10-7.

Then in the ninth with the struggling Billy Wagner on the mound, the Phils climbed even closer. With Victorino and Eric Brunlett on base, the Mets felt that Philadelphia was stealing their signs; so Wagner and Schneider decided to change them. It seemed to work as they got Pedro Feliez to an 0-2 count, but Feliez took the next pitch up the middle for a base hit to drive in Victorino.

Carlos Beltran scooped up the ball, and threw to third, thinking that he had Bruntlett dead to rights, but the ball skipped past a lunging Wright, allowing Bruntlett to score from third to make a one run game.

Now Jayson Werth came up. The day before, Werth tied up the game with a homerun, but today he had a chance to tie, or possibly win the game. Werth was able to get into one to right, but Endy Chavez securied the ballgame with a catch in right field.

For Wagner it is his 20th save of the year. Pedro is 3-2, and the Mets are truly alive with a favorable schedule in their sights.

Boxscore.