Game #94: Phillies 8, Mets 5

Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey reacts after giving up a three-run homer run in the fifth inning to Phillies center fielder Michael Martinez. (NYDailyNews.com)

Well, back to reality.

Mike Pelfrey kept it close until the 5th inning and the Mets missed opportunity after opportunity, falling to the Phillies in the series finale, 8-5.

The Bad Stuff:

• Though the 5th starter, Kyle Kendrick did his best impression of Halladay and Lee by holding New York to 1 run in 7 innings.
• The Mets had their chances in nearly every inning but faltered again by hitting 4-15 with RISP and stranding 11 men on base.
• Sorest thumbs to stand out were Justin Turner (0-5, 6 LOB) and Jason Bay (0-4, 5 LOB).
• Mike Pelfrey gave up a run in the first but settled down...until the 5th, when Michael Martinez hit his first home run of the season, this of the three-run variety, to send Pelf to the showers.
• DJ Carrasco gave up another in the 7th and Pedro Beato gave up 3 more in the 8th to put it away (all 3 were unearned: Jason Bay's awful error made sure of that).

The Good Stuff:

• The Mets made it close by scoring 5 in the last 3 innings. Scott Hairston drove in a run on a pinch-hit single in the 7th, then Lucas Duda's double play and Ronny Paulino & Angel Pagan's singles plated 3 in the 8th. Duda added one more in the 9th with a triple to score Daniel Murphy.

Final Analysis:
Carlos Beltran was out again today with the flu. Yesterday with a makeshift lineup was a day to remember...today was one to forget.

Luckily it's one Mets fans won't have to relive for much longer: Beltran should be back tomorrow, and after one rehab game in Brooklyn, Jose Reyes should return on Tuesday. Then at the end of the week, the team goes down to Florida and will pick up David Wright from Port St. Lucie. With the missing pieces coming back into play, now we'll see what New York is really capable of.

MM