Unhappy Recap: Padres 9 Mets 8

Two of the best closers in baseball blow saves in the same game, only two nights after they each gave up runs in the 9th inning.

It started off as a vintage Tom Glavine performance. A steadfast refusal to throw strikes, followed by a bunch of hits, some narrow escapes and eventually a lot of runs. Glavine allowed 6 runs, 11 hits and 3 walks in only 5 innings.

But the Mets almost bailed him out with a monstrous 6-run 6th to take a 7-6 lead. Helped along by two walks and an error the Mets cleared the bases with a 2-run single from Green and a 3-run homer by Marlon Anderson.

The bullpen of Schoeneweis (1 inning) and Feliciano (2 innings), two guys who haven't been overworked held down the Padres for 3 innings.

But Wagner, who still on balance has been good (only 3 blown saves), gave up 3 hits and a walk to start the 9th inning, turning a 7-6 lead into an 8-7 deficit.

But the Mets showed some heart tying the game with hits from Reyes and Castillo, then a stolen base and a sac fly by Wright. I love Castillo now. He has that ability to fight off the pitcher's best pitches and dump a single just into the outfield. And speed kills. Without the stolen base by Reyes the Mets might not tie it up. Hoffman then walked the Carloses and got Alou with the bases loaded to send the game into extra innings.

But Aaron Heilman quickly dampened that enthusiasm by allowing a home run to Adrian Gonzalez. He's now allowed 8 HR this year in only 66 innings.

Two runners on in the bottom of the 10th but the Mets couldn't push the run across.

A very exciting series against the Padres too bad the Mets couldn't get 2 out of 3.

The bullpen is emerging as a major trouble spot.

The starting pitching has absolutely sucked as well, compounding the bullpen's problems.

But the offense has been humming along, scoring at least 5 runs in 11 straight games, but the Mets are only 7-4 in that stretch.