The Mets (42-44) at Philadelphia (48-39). Philly leads the East by 3.5 games over Florida. The Mets are 5.5 games back.
Starting pitchers:
John Maine (8-6, 3.86 ERA) v. Jamie Moyer (7-6, 4.13 ERA)
The Mets are trying to bounce back after another disappointing show yesterday. Despite having Jose Reyes on third with no outs in the first inning, they again were unable to produce. This time, it came back to bite them late, as the Phillies rallied to overcome a two-run deficit and eventually won the game in the ninth. The Mets have been inconsistent and their lineup has often erupted for runs one day while going totally dry the next. After a June swoon, the Phillies have won four in a row.
Today against the Phillies, the Mets will have to solve the ageless wonder: Jamie Moyer. Moyer has been less than successful recently, losing three straight starts - issuing ten walks in those games. Moyer is all but useless without his pinpoint control, but is due for a good start. He comes in on six days rest.
Taking the hill for the Mets will be John Maine. Maine recently complained about a "dead arm" after a bad start against St. Louis. The righty insists that he's not injured, but that he's simply trying to pull through. The Mets defense didn't help, either. Maine gave up five runs, only three of them earned, on three fielding errors. His last win came on June 25 against the Mariners - a capable two-run, five-hit performance that proved to be exactly what the Mets needed.
All things considered, it should be pretty even matchup. Here to take you through it, Laura Albanese...
FINAL: 9-4, METS
Bottom of the ninth
Tony Armas, Jr. in to pitch. He retired the side, 1-2-3.
Top of the ninth
Rudy Seanez in to pitch. Tatis hitting now. (Church left the game because of dizziness, which is really bad news for the Mets) Tatis hits a double to the leftfield wall. Wright grounds out to third. Tatis moves to third. Beltran hits a comebacker to Seanez, he bobbles the ball and Beltran is safe. Tatis scores on the error. 7-4, METS. Easley lines to leftfield for a single. Beltran goes to second. It's Easley's third hit of the game. Delgado singles to right. Bases loaded with one out. Anderson grounds out to shortstop and they get the force at second. Beltran scores. 8-4, METS. Chavez lines to center. Easley scores. 9-4, METS. First and third and one out; Seanez is done. SUBSTITUTION: Clay Condrey. And, because the Phillies hate me: RAIN DELAY. It doesn't look to be raining too hard, but there might be something coming. Howie Rose: "It's barely misting!"
Rain delay lasts a good ten minutes before they realize it's not raining...the rain begins to fall as they take off the tarp.
Schneider up to bat. He grounds out to shortstop to end the inning.
SCORE: 9-4, METS
Bottom of the eighth
Schneider stays in to catch, Anderson to LF, Chavez to RF and Church comes out. Duaner Sanchez to pitch. Rollins flies out to shallow right. Victorino reaches on a bunt single and Utley hits a slow roller near the mound. Sanchez picks it up and fires low to Delgado, who makes a nice pick. Victorino goes to second. They walk Howard intentionally. Carlos Ruiz bats for Gordon. Ruiz grounds out to third.
Top of the eighth
J.C. Romero in to pitch. Beltran grounds out to short. Easly grounds a basehit up the middle. Delgado slaps a single to center and Easley goes first to third. Romero out. SUBSTITUTION: TOM GORDON. Marlon Anderson batting for Castro (3-for-25 with RISP, btw). Gordon's pitch goes through Coste's legs. Easley slides in safely to tie the game. (Charged a wild pitch) 4-4. The Mets again score without the benefit of a hit. Delgado goes to second. Anderson walks on the 3-1 pitch. Chavez in to hit for Aguila. Chavez grounds out to first and the runners move up. Schneider (.196 with RISP) in to pinch hit for Feliciano. He lines a fastball to centerfield and it rolls all the way to the wall. Two runs score and Schneider pulls in with a double. 6-4, METS. Reyes flies out to left.
SCORE: 6-4, METS
Bottom of the seventh
Joe Smith into pitch. Burrell hits a long single to the wall in right. Feliz bunts him over to second. The Mets intentionally walk Jenkins. Coste hits a hanging slider to deep to left center field. Aguila tracks it down at the track and the runners skitter back. SUBSTITUTION: PEDRO FELICIANO. Jayson Werth pinch hitting. Werth lines a the ball to left. Burrell beats the ball to the plate, but Werth is out trying to go to second on the throw.
SCORE: 4-3, PHILLIES
Top of the seventh
Castro flies out to right. Aguila singles to left. Argenis Reyes bats for Heilman. Reyes flies out to center. The other Reyes comes up to bat. Jose lines the pitch to the gap in left center. Reyes goes to second. Aguila holds at third after Victorino gets it in to Utley. Second and third with two outs - huge spot for Church. Church is struck on the side to load the bases. Moyer is taken out of the game after 99 pitches. SUBSTITUTION: RYAN MADSON. Wright grounds out to short to end the inning.
Bottom of the sixth
Victorino flies out to center. Utley grounds out to second. Something is wrong with Maine, who is grabbing his left (non-pitching) forearm. He looks to be in a lot of pain (cramp, maybe?) and Manuel lifts him. SUBSTITUTION: AARON HEILMAN. Heilman tosses one pitch and Howard, who had a 2-2 count when Maine came out, strikes out.
Top of the sixth
Wright pops out. Beltran walks for the second time tonight. Easley fouls out. Delgado hits a looper to second for the out.
Bottom of the fifth
Jenkins lines out to first. Coste lines out to center. Moyer walks on the 3-2 pitch. Rollins strikes out swinging on a slider.
Top of the fifth
Aguila grounds out to third. Maine lines a single to center for his fourth hit of the year. Reyes pops out to third on the first pitch. Church strikes out looking at a low changeup. He has some words with the umpire, but Wright drags him back to the dugout.
Bottom of the fourth
Rollins pops out to third. Shane Victorino is hit on the shoulder for the first Philly baserunner of the game. Victorino steals second. Utley walks on a 3-2 pitch. Howard hits an opposite field homerun to tie the game up. 3-3. It's the Phillies' first hit of the game. Pat Burrell strikes out swinging. Feliz grounds out to short.
SCORE: 3-3
Top of the fourth
Church strikes out swinging. D-Wright hits it to the gap in right center for a double. Wright takes off for third after a huge jump and comes in safely. Beltran walks. The Phillies pick off Beltran, but he sprints for second. Ryan Howard airmails the throw; Beltran goes to second and Wright scores. 2-0, Mets. Easley hits it up the middle and Beltran scores easily. 3-0, Mets. Delgado pops out to shortstop on the first pitch. Ramon Castro strikes out swinging on an offspeed pitch.
SCORE: 3-0, METS
Bottom of the third
Jenkins chases a fastball away for Maine's second K of the night. Chris Coste hits a ball to the gap in left-center but Aguila tracks it down for the out. Moyer strikes out looking.
Top of the third
Chris Aguila grounds out to Rollins for the out. Maine grounds out, 5-3. Reyes strikes out looking on a fastball.
Bottom of the second
Ryan Howard strikes out swinging to lead off the inning. Burrell hits the first pitch by Maine to Reyes for the out. Pedro Feliz grounds out to first and Delgado takes it to the bag himself..
Top of the second
Easley grounds out to short. Delgado grounds out to Utley. Castro grounds out to third to end the inning.
Bottom of the first
Jimmy Rollins grounds out to second. Shane Victorino flies out to left. Chase Utley flies out to shallow center.
Top of the first
Reyes hits the second pitch of the inning for a single to left. Ryan Church rips a changeup to left for a single. Reyes goes first to third. Wright grounds into the 6-4-3 double play. Reyes scores. 1-0, Mets. Carlos Beltran pops out to the catcher.
SCORE: 1-0, METS