Tatis Lifts Mets in Soaking Philadelphia

METS 4

PHILLIES 2

After a two hour and fifty minute rain delay, the Mets seemed well on their way to winning the third game of a four game set in Philadelphia.

Carlos Beltran had a big afternoon. He homered in the third inning, and then drove in the Mets second run off of Brad Lidge in the top of the ninth.

Oliver Perez was once again brilliant, going seven strong innings giving up only four hits, and striking out six.

Yet it was not enough. In the bottom of the ninth Billy Wagner, put together a huge choke job, surrendering a single to Shane Victorino and then giving up a two run homerun to Jayson Werth to tie the game at two, forcing extra innings.

Both teams played at a stalemate until the 12th, as the Mets got to Chad Durbin. First Durbin walked Carlos Delgado, and then gave up a two run homerun to Fernando Tatis, who came into to replace Marlon Anderson, when this was still a day game!

This is the second time Tatis saved the Mets; he did so in late May in a game against the Florida Marlins, but tonight's homerun might have saved the Mets season. If the Mets lost this game, they would be back to five and a half out, and two games under .500, with no chance to put a serious dent on the Philadelphia lead in this series as previously planned.

Joe Smith pitched two brilliant innings of relief for the Mets to get the victory.

With the win the Mets are now back at .500 (44-44) and are just three and a half games behind Philadelphia with tomorrow's finale at 7:10. Pedro Martinez will make the start. BOXSCORE.