Bletran's Big Night Helps Mets Forget Their Problems

METS 6

BRAVES 4

What's the best way to distract a team after a controversial decision to move struggling stater Oliver Perez to the bullpen? Answer: beat the rival Atlanta Braves in come-from-behind fashion.

With another Mets starter laboring through a ball game, John Maine surrendered three runs in the second inning of the game to give Atlanta a 3-0 lead, The Mets needed their offense to show some punch for the first time this season. Then, they got it.

In the sixth inning after a Daniel Murphy single, Carlos Beltran belted a two run shot that cleared the center field wall at Turner Field to move the Mets to within a run. Carlos Delgado singled to left, and David Wright, who has struggled at the plate this season, belted his second home run of the year; this one flew to center field, giving the Mets a 4-3 lead.

Maine settled down at this point and ended up pitching six decent innings allowing only three hits and three runs to improve to 2-2 on the season.

Fast forward to the eighth where Beltran once again went yard, another two run shot to center field! Will wonders never cease? I guess the jet stream just liked to go towards straight-away center tonight in Atlanta. It was Beltran's second of the night, netting him four homers on the season and a team leading 18 RBI. Box Score.

NOTES: The Mets will not send Oliver Perez to the minor leagues; instead, they will put him in the bullpen, which to my thinking makes absolutely no sense. Perez needs time to get his head straightened out and coming in in the role of clean up duty will not help Perez regain his confidence. If Scott Boras, Perez's agent, had anything to do with this decision, he is not helping. If Perez is worth $36 million, then Boras should encourage his client to take the demotion as a way to prove that he is worth the money. Ah, me.