Tonight’s game had a bad feel to it right from the start. The Mets having already beaten the Phillies two in a row. Mike Pelfrey on the mound without Brian Schneider behind the plate. Willie Randolph moving Ryan Church from the two spot in the order. Willie Randolph hitting lefties Carlos Delgado, Ryan Church, Raul Casonova and Endy Chavez all in a row. Jon Miller and Joe Morgan in the broadcast booth. Heartburn in my chest. Whatever it was this game did not feel right from the beginning.
Pelfrey never looked comfortable, and was lucky to leave the game only giving up four runs, while Adam Eaton cruised. Then in the top of the 6th the Mets roughed up Eaton. Jose Reyes hustled out a triple. Luis Castillo finally hit a ball to the outfield, and David Wright continued to crush the ball. What was impressive about the Mets scoring four runs in the top of the 6th, other than the way timely hitting chased Eaton, was the baserunning of David Wright and Carlos Beltran. Both scored on flares hit to the outfield. Much different than the station-to-station baserunning we’ve been seeing from Carlos Delgado. Scoring from 2nd base on a single is a lost art on the Mets. Hats off to Charlie Manuel for not bringing in J.C. Romero to face Carlos Delgado, et. al. in the 6th inning. We knew there was a reason we love that guy.
For some reason Wilie Randolph continues to blow through the bullpen like it was Kleenex in allergy season. He goes to Sosa in the 6th for only one inning. Then Feliciano and Smith for the 7th.
In the end it just wasn’t the Mets night. It never felt that way from the beginning. Didn’t look that way in the middle of the game, when Chase Utley home runs were barely staying fair, and turned out that way in the end when a normally shaky Eric Bruntlett cleanly fielded the final out.
But in the end 2 out of 3 against the Phillies ain’t bad, and now it’s off to Chicago.
