Happy Recap: Mets 4 Rangers 2

At least the Mets salvaged one game from the doubleheader and got the win in the series but with the hole they're in they need to start sweeping series, not just winning them.

Pedro pitched very well for 6 innings. Willie had to take him out when he did though. As nervous as the bullpen makes me you have to pinch hit with the bases loaded and 2 outs in a time game.

Luckily Robinson Cancel came through, the third big hit by a bench player in the doubleheader.

It was nice to see Billy Wagner bounce back with a save. Especially a strong 1-2-3 inning with 2 strikeouts.

Unhappy Recap: Rangers 8 Mets 7

When is Willie Randolph going to learn that he has to leave the starters in when they are in trouble. The bullpen blows it way too often for him to rely on them. The Mets actually had a chance in this game until 5 runs scored on the bullpen's watch. He has to let the starters go deeper or this is going to keep happening.

Another thing Willie has to do is let Reyes steal more. He was on in the first and 5th to lead off the inning and he didn't even try to steal.

I'm not going to make the leap that the Mets would have won if the bullpen could have cut off a few more runs, because everything else would have changed. The Rangers pitched much differently because they had a 6-run lead. There's no guarantee the Mets would have scored 7 runs if the Rangers only had 6.

That said I was impressed by 2 great rallies they put together in the 8th and 9th. The only problem was two rally-killing double plays. The first one was totally Sandy Alomar Sr's fault. He should have sent Schneider on Tatis's single. The Rangers probably wouldn't have even let the ball go through because it would have put the tying run on second base if Schneider scored. Also, worst case scenario Schneider gets thrown out, the Mets still have 2nd and 3rd. Instead Alomar held him, but had him tag on a shallow fly ball by Reyes and he was out by 10 feet killing a rally.

In the 9th, 5 of the first 6 batters to come up reached base, the only one who didn't was the awful Carlos Delgado who grounded into a crushing double play.

Getting big hits in this game were: Fernando Tatis, Ramon Castro and Carlos Beltran.

Delgado did have a homer and another run-scoring single.

Just like Oliver Perez, the Mets are 7-7 in games started by John Maine. The only difference is when Maine loses, he gives up 3 or 4 runs, and when he wins it's 1 or 2. As oppoesd to Perez who pitches shutouts or gets bombed. Either way, the Mets win about half the times those pitchers start. They are 2 and 3 in this rotation, so this is where the Mets need to make up wins in order to improve from below .500.

Happy Recap: Mets 7 Rangers 1

A game to stop the bleeding.

Oliver Perez was excellent after the home run to Josh Hamilton in the first inning. I think Willie learned his lesson and let Perez stick around for the 7th.

This was the third straight game in which the starter pitched 7 innings or more, threw 100 pitches or more and gave up one run or fewer. Except this time Perez got the win.

It was his first win since that gem against the Yankees on May 18. He followed that up with 3 stinkers in a row but has come back with two straight good starts. He's had 14 starts, 7 good and 7 bad. The Mets are 6-8 in his starts winning 1 of the bad ones but losing two of the good ones.

The Mets took advantage of Reyes getting on base twice, once Beltran drove him in with a 2 out hit, then Wright drove him in with a sacrifice fly, two things the Mets could use more of.

Following up on a point I made about last night's game, 3 times this season the Mets sacrificed Reyes to second in the 8th inning or later, he hasn't scored in any of those situations. He needs to try to steal in those late game situations.

Schoeneweis and Sanchez finished the game out. Why couldn't they have allowed 5 runs in this game instead of in the other ones?