On the Mets beat

Mets (44-44) take on the Phillies (48-41)

Pedro Martinez (2-2) 7.39 ERA v. Adam Eaton (3-6) 4.79 ERA

The Mets are riding high after yesterday's long (looooooong) extra-inning win over the Phillies. They come into play only 3.5 games back in the East and 2.5 games behind the Marlins. There were plenty of good signs yesterday, including Oliver Perez's continued (and surprising) dominance. Joe Smith was masterful in the longest appearance of his career and Tatis continues to make a name for himself as a clutch hitter during a season where so few Mets are.

Their situational hitting, though, continues to struggle. Despite stringing together 14 hits, the Mets were only able to plate two runs before Tatis' huge home run in the 12th. Wagner, though, continues to be worrisome coming in to close. Other than that three-game stretch earlier in the season, he's been dominant, but the Mets have got to be worried after another inopportune home run and another blown save. Also something to watch: after yesterday's 7+-hour marathon, both teams are bound to be exhausted.

Pitchers:

This isn't vintage Pedro the Mets going on the mound. The aging righty has been a huge concern from the Mets. His inflated ERA notwithstanding, clubs (like St. Louis in his last start) have been flat hitting the ball hard against him. He gave up five earned runs in five innings in that appearance and got the no-decision in the loss. That was his third straight bad outing and you've gotta believe that Pedro is feeling the frustration. Pedro will have to be impeccable tonight if the Mets want to have a chance. Historically, they've struggled against Adam Eaton, who's been better than his record indicates. He's allowed only four runs in a 12 inning span but has gotten no run support to speak of. Before his two-run five-hit performance against Atlanta, he hadn't won since June 3.

Here to take you through it, Laura Albanese.

FINAL: 10-9, METS Barely.

Bottom of the ninth
Wagner in to pitch. Every Met fan watching the game cringes in fear. Charlie Manuel took Utley out a few innings ago and the decision may come back to haunt him. Victorino lines a double to the leftfield corner. Bruntlett works it to a 3-2 count...He walks. Ryan Howard up to bat as the tying run. Howard strikes out after four straight sliders. Met-killer Pat Burrell up...and flies out to right. The runners hold. Pedro Feliz in to hit for Dobbs. 0-2...conference at mound...single up the middle. Victorino scores. Beltran throws to third and it gets away. Bruntlett scores. One run game. Feliz to second and Werth up. He flies out to right to end the game.

Top of the ninth
Tatis smacks a looper to left. Burrell gets to it slowly and Tatis tries for two; he's out on the attempt. Schneider strikes out. Argenis Reyes comes in to bat for Heilman and grounds out to second.

Bottom of the eighth
Dobbs strikes out. Werth grounds a single to left. Coste strikes out with a check swing on a slider on the inside corner. Geoff Jenkins batting for Swindle hits a long two-run homerun to left. Rollins strikes out looking on a fastball.

SCORE: 10-7, METS

Top of the eighth
Beltran flies out to left. Easley pops up to second. Delgado strikes out swinging on a curveball.

Bottom of the seventh
Swindle in to hit and grounds out, 3-1. Rollins lines a single to right and goes to second on a wild pitch. Victorino doubles to the leftfield corner. Rollins scores. Eric Bruntlett comes in to bat for Utley and grounds out to shortstop. Victorino goes to third. Howard rips a double off the top of the wall in right. Victorino scores....Charlie Manuel comes out to argue that it was a home run....umpires confer. They give the Phillies the homerun. (There might have been fan interference on the play) Jerry comes out to argue and he gets ejected from the game. SUBSTITUTION: AARON HEILMAN. Burrell strikes out swinging on a slider to end the threat.

SCORE: 10-5, METS

Top of the seventh
Reyes lines out to third. Chavez flies out to right-center. Wright strikes out swinging and Swindle suddenly looks good.

Bottom of the sixth
Howard pops out foul. Burrell hits a solo home run to center. Dobbs hits the ball over Chavez's head in left for a double. Pedro out. SUBSTITUTION: TONY ARMAS. Werth strikes out swinging. Coste strikes out swinging on the slider.

Top of the sixth
In to pitch, R.J. Swindle. He's an extremely soft-tossing lefty. Extremely. D-Wright mashes a 55mph hanging curveball over the wall in left for a solo homerun. Beltran singles to left. Easley lines a single to left-center. Beltran goes to second. Delgado strikes out on an 0-2 pitch. Tatis walks. Schneider pops out. Pedro singles up the middle. Beltran scores and Easley gets thrown out at home.

SCORE: 10-1, METS

Bottom of the fifth
So Taguchi batting for Condrey and strikes out looking. K number five for Pedro. Rollins lines a single to left center (nice cutoff by Beltran to hold him to one). Victorino flies out to center. Rollins steals second. Utley strikes out looking.

Top of the fifth
Pedro grounds out softly, 2-3. Reyes grounds out to second and Chavez strikes out swinging.

Bottom of the fourth
Utley hits a solo shot to right. Howard walks on the 3-2 pitch. Burrell grounds to Wright, who gets the force at second. Dobbs grounds to first for the out. Burrell goes to second. Werth walks. Coste strikes out swinging.

SCORE: 8-1, METS

Top of the fourth
Beltran chops the first pitch back to the mound for an out. Easley lines a basehit to right. Delgado lines to right. First and second with one out. Tatis gounds the ball to Dobbs for the force at third. Delgado goes to second. Schneider also grounds it to Dobbs for the force.

Bottom of the third
Condrey strikes out swinging. Rollins flies out to left and Victorino grounds out to second for a quick inning.

Top of the third
Easley grounds out to third. Delgado lines a curveball to the rightfield wall for a double. Tatis grounds a single to left. Delgado goes to third. Schneider grounds out to short with the hit and run on. Rollins' only play is at first (or maybe home). He gets Schneider at first Tatis is safe. Delgado scores. Pedro hits a sharp liner to Dobbs, who lets it go through his legs for an error. Tatis scores and Pedro goes to first. Reyes lines a ball to the outfield grass. Utley makes a phenomenal stop to his right, but Reyes is safe at first. First and second and two outs. Chavez grounds a single to center. Pedro scores without a throw. Reyes goes to second. Eaton out. SUBSTITUTION: CLAY CONDREY. Wright pops out to center on the first pitch.

SCORE: 8-0, METS

Bottom of the second
Ryan Howard singles to center. Burrell strikes out looking on the 0-2 curve. Dobbs strikes out on the 2-2 changeup. Werth walks. Chris Coste grounds out to first and Delgado beats him to the bag by a step to end the inning.

Top of the second
Fernando Tatis lines a ball that deflects off the glove of diving third baseman Gregg Dobbs for a single. Brian Schneider lines it to a diving Utley, who gets the force at second. Pedro bunts the ball foul for strike three. Reyes draws a walk. Chavez lines the ball to right centerfield. Schneider scores and Reyes goes to third. Chavez at first. Wright lines a double up the leftfield line. Reyes and Chavez score. Beltran pops up to Dobbs right near the pitcher's mounds.

SCORE: 5-0, METS

Bottom of the first
Jimmy Rollina grounds out to second. Shane Victorino grounds out to third and Chase Utley pops out to foul terrirory. Good first inning by Pedro.

Top of the first
Jose Reyes lines to first pitch for a single to right. Reyes steals second. Endy Chavez bunts up the third base side for a hit. Reyes goes to third. Wright grounds to Utley at second. Utley tries to tag Chavez, but the umps say he missed him when Endy hopped out of the way of the tag. Wright is out at first. Reyes scores and Chavez is at second with one out. Beltran grounds out to first. Chavez moves to third. Damion Easley singles to right. Chavez scores. Delgado grounds out to Utley on the outfield grass to end the inning.

SCORE: 2-0, METS