With two outs in the top of the eighth inning it looked like the Mets would leave Philadelphia last night with their collective tail between their legs. Brad Lidge, who still hasn't blown a save all season, was warming up in the Phillies' pen, and the New York offense had only mustered two runs and 12 hits in the previous 16.2 innings, going back to the fifth inning of Tuesday's game. But Carlos Delgado, who had homered in the sixth to cut Philly's lead to 3-2, sliced a liner over the left field fence to tie the game at three and spark the Mets's offense. Carlos Beltran followed with an infield hit, and stole second. With first base open, Brad Lidge walked Ryan Church intentionally, but Daniel Murphy made him pay, doubling down the right field line to bring home Beltran with the go-ahead run. The hit parade continued with Brian Schneider's flare to left, which put the icing on the cake. New York's four-run eighth inning clinched a two-game split in Philadelphia, and catapulted the Mets back into first place by a half game.
Willie Mccovey
28 August 2008
22 July 2008
When the Mets traded for and signed Johan Santana in January, tonight's game was exactly what they had in mind. The ace will take the mound tonight at Shea to face the Phillies, who are tied with the Mets atop the National League East. Tonight would be a perfect situation for the type of start Mets fans are itching for out of Santana. Overall, despite his 3.10 ERA, Santana's season has been a disappointment to this point. His 8-7 record is mediocre, his strikeout rate is down, his batting average against is up, and his solid ERA is also misleading in that it does not reflect the grand slam he allowed to pitcher Felix Hernandez of the Mariners. Santana has only pitched into the eighth inning once this season, and Duaner Sanchez ultimately blew that game in the ninth. Tonight is an opportunity for Santana to turn his sub-par season around, and show Mets fans that he is worth his exhorbitant contract
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