Who cares that Tim Redding made a good first impression in his first start with the Mets. Who cares that Gary Sheffield tied this game at two with a dribbler down the right field line to score Angel Pagan. What matters is two things for the Mets in this game against the Dodgers: (1) Injuries can kill, (2) Mental mistakes can kill even more.
The Mets played this game without the services of Jose Reyes (calf), Carlos Delgado (out two months with a labrum tear) and Alex Cora (thumb); the Metropolitans had to go with Jeremy Reed, Pagan and Ramon Martinez if they had any hope of winning, but they just couldn't get past their problems late in this game. More specifically, the substitutions cost the Mets --big time.
In the bottom of the 11, the Dodgers had loaded the bases on Mets reliever Brian Stokes. The Mets had five men in the infield, with Carlos Beltran as the extra infielder coming in from center to play second. The Mets were hoping to keep the ball in the infield so they can make a play at the plate and, maybe, maybe, make a double play to get out of the inning.
Stokes bore down large here. He was able to get Rafael Furcal to pop out to Pagan in left. Pagan made a stellar throw to home plate to keep Mark Loretta at third. The Mets appeared destined to perform a Houdini-like act of magic and slip out of the inning, but the absence of Delgado suddenly reared.
Orlando Hudson chopped one to Reed at first base. Reed correctly planted and threw the ball to Ramon Castro at home; however, Reed's throw went wide of Castro, allowing Loretta to score the winning run. If Delgado were playing, would the play at the plate be an out for the Mets? Would the Mets have gotten out of the inning safe and sound? We will never know, but the moment begs the question.
Reed can't be blamed for all of this. In the top of the 11th, after Ryan Church laced a single to lead off the inning, Pagan drilled a double into the gap. Church chugged around third and scored the go-ahead run, but there was a problem. Church never touched third base! Hello? On replay's provided by SNY, it was clear that Church walked over the bag without touching it. Dodgers manager Joe Torre spotted Church's gaff and instructed his players to challenge the play. It worked out for the Dodgers; the Mets did not score. Box Score.
What is even more interesting about Church's gaff is the fact that Mets manager Jerry Manuel did not run out of the dugout to protect his player and argue the call. He merely scowled at Church and shook his head. Some journalists, radio hosts, and fans have wondered whether Church is in Manuel's dog house since the right fielder has not seen a lot of playing time lately. This little episode will be talked about a lot in the coming days.
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