Mets' Pen Finds A Way; Finally!

METS 4

NATIONALS 3

Well, well, well, the Mets bullpen finally figures it out, and closes a game, and preserves a victory for Johan Santana. About time, never thought it would happen, considering the agita that this bullpen has given not just Met fans, but the starting staff and manager Jerry Manuel.

Santana did not have his best stuff tonight. Twice he was given a lead, and twice he fretted it away. Up 2-0 in the first, Santana gave up a single to Ryan Zimmerman to score Carlos Guzman to score from third; later Santana allowed a single to Jesus Flores to bring home Zimmerman with the tying run.

With a 3-2 lead in the seventh, and with mounting pressure for Santana to pitch deeper than seven innings, because of the pen, he gave up a rocket to ex-Atlanta Brave Ryan Langerhans to tie the game again.

Still, the Mets fought back, loading the bases against Saul Rivera. THen in one of the most twisted and strange plays of the season, Rivera hit Damion Easley in the head with a 2-2 pitch, allowing David Wright to score from third with the go ahead run.

Now it was up to the pen to hold it, and they did not disapoint.

After giving up a leadoff hit to Austin Kearns, Joe Smith beared down and struck out ex-Met maniac, Lastings Milledge swinging for out number one. Later, he got Flores to strike out swinging and got Ronnie Belliard to pop up to end it.

Then in the ninth, Manuel had a decision to make, go with young Eddie Kunz or start Pedro Felicano in the ninth and take him out in favor of Kunz for a right handed batter. Manuel, instead, opted to leave Feliciano in the game for the whole inning and it paid off.

Feliciano got Willie Harris to fly out to center field, and proceeded to strike out Will Nieves and Emilo Bonifacio to end the game and nail it down for New York. The save was Felicano's first since September 1 of last year in a game against the Braves. Feliciano now has three career saves.

For Santana it is his tenth win of the year. The Mets are still two back of Philadelphia for first in the NL East.