Mets Desperate for a good series in Atlanta
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The New York Mets will travel to Atlanta tonight after a dissapointing and tough series against the Philadelphia Phillies this week at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets didn't show up the first game, they got bad breaks in the middle two games of the series, and they lost what was a truly great baseball game yesterday. In yesterdays ball game the Phillies got off to a 5-0 lead but the Mets rallied to tie the game 5-5 by the 5th inning. But then the Phillies answered right back as the rallied with 2 outs off Aaron Sele in the bottom of that inning giving the Phillies an 8-5 lead with 3 RBI singles.
When the game, however, reached the 8th the Phillies bullpen imploded. The Mets drew 5 walks in the top of the 8th and with horrendous performances from the bullpen, especially Antonio Alfonseca, but the Mets rallied to score 5 runs in that inning to take a 10-8 lead. In that inning Marlon Anderson coming off his interference play on Wednesday had an RBI double and then after a questionable move by Charlie Manuel to intentionally walk the struggling Jose Reyes. Endy came through with a 2 run single to tie the game at 8. After scoring 2 more to take a 10-8 lead Willie Randolph Willie called on Billy Wagner to ask for a 2 inning save something that Billy didn't do for 8 years. It turned out to be a bad move.
Billy gave up a home run to Pat Burrell in the 8th cutting the Met lead to 10-9 and Billy got through the inning. But, the Mets couldn't tack on in the 9th and Billy lost his control and command in the bottom of the 9th. The Phillies scored 2 runs and Chase Utley had the GW single. A great game that lasted over 4 hours but for the Mets unfortunately someone had to lose and someone had to win.
The NL East lead for the Mets is now at just 2 after being at 6 four days ago. "El Duque" Orlando Hernandez had a streak where the Mets won 10 straight games he started but that ended yesterday. John Maine will go to the mound friday at Turner Field to try to be the stopper of this 5 game Mets losing streak. If the Mets don't come out to play the Atlanta series could be a disaster.
Steven Ackerman
