I’m sure it gets better than this, but what with my Kevin Finnerty-style memory loss, I can’t remember a 6 game lead over Atlanta. My short term memory is slightly better, however, so I can still recall David Wright hitting a pair of long home runs, Pedro Martinez (with apologies to Greg Maddux) looking every bit the Cy Young front-runner, Endy Chavez continuing to run down fly balls that would elude most Carlos Beltran understudies, Kaz Matsui (.345 BA) extending his hitting streak, Duaner Sanchez-untouchable-again (no runs allowed in 16 innings)…and most clearly of all, a John Franco-esque three out save by Billy Wagner, working his way out of his own jam.
If John Franco had been 20 MPH faster.
Some other perspectives from men who didn’t have dates on a Friday night :
Game over, you tomahawk-chopping dilettantes. Pedro beats Smoltz again. President Carter gets dragged under by a changing tide again. (Sorry, sir, we have to part ways when it comes to that cap you were wearing. But didja catch the size of that footlong that Rosalynn was working on? It oughta be suspended for ingesting performance-enhancing substances, not Iriki). – Greg, Faith & Fear In Flushing
Plain and simple, the Mets beat Atlanta tonight because Queens’ best was at their best. Petey, save for the two run home run to everybody’s favorite hateable third baseman, was brilliant for seven innings. Jose Reyes and David Wright, the young cornerstones of the franchise, produced. Reyes got on base 3 times and scored twice, while Wright hit two home runs. And Billy Wagner, Country Time, nailed down a big save in a big spot. Sure, it was dicey…the bases were loaded…and it wasn’t September. But it was Atlanta…and it was the Braves. And that’s big enough for me at this point. – Metsradamus
If I have any complaints at all with this game, it’s that Billy Wagner hasn’t gotten the memo that he’s supposed to be a lights-out closer.
Smoltz stopped throwing that splitter because of the arm problems it caused, and now he’s gone back to it. I respect him as much as any opponent the Mets face, but I’d be really surprised if he made it over 200 innings this year. – Mike’s Mets
Amazin’ Avenue’s Eric Simon notes that Binghamton’s Henry Owens struck out 4 batters last night in 1.1 innings collecting his 5th save in the Mets’ 4-1 defeat of Erie. Owens has 31 K’s and just 5 walks in 13.1 innings of relief so far.