Yankees 5, Mets 4

3 outs away from sweeping the Yankees in the Bronx, the Mets’ Braden Looper relinquished a one run lead in little time ; walking Tino Martinez to start the home 9th, allowing a double down the left field line to A-Rod, intentionally walking Matsui and then leaving a fat one over the plate for Jason Giambi to drive into the gap, scoring Martinez and Rodriguez. Game Over. Fuck you very much. Looper walking Tino wasn’t a matter of nibbling, either.

Some measure of redemption, then, for AJ Soprano (above right), whose 7th inning miscue (along with that of Robinson Cano) gave the Mets 3 unearned runs in the 7th inning. If you’re counting, the Yankees are now 2-36 when trailing after 8 innings, both comeback wins coming on game-ending hits by Giambi.

First base umpire C.B. Bucknor blew a call when Gary Sheffield beat out Marlon Anderson’s throw in the 7th, but there’s no way Sheff stays in the game after tossing his helmet and hopping up and down. Mr. Creamy Clear Chanel has been around long enough to know as much, but if he doesn’t mind leaving the game in Russ Johnson’s hands, who am I to argue? Hopefully there will be at least one NY Times column tomorrow about Sheffield’s maturity and restraint.

On a night when the Yankees were particularly pathetic in the field, the Mets proved to be nearly as inept. Carlos Beltran allowed Derek Jeter to take 2nd on his RBI single in the 7th (perhaps CF novice Tony Womack can provide a demonstration of hitting the cutoff man. If anyone could find the cutoff man). David Wright’s error to start the 6th led directly to the first Yankee run, the only one Kris Benson would allow.

From the “when it rains, it pours” department, Mets 1B Doug Mientkiewicz joined Kaz Matsui and Miguel Cairo on the disabled list. The Mets have called up Jose Offerman (currently hitting .167) from Norfolk.

That’s right. Jose Offerman. Coming on the heels of Gerald Williams’ promotion, can Benji Gill be far behind?