Game #49: Phillies 8, Mets 4

The Mets lose shortstop Justin Turner to a sprained right ankle during a rundown in the third inning. The team’s options at the position are woefully thin. (NYDailyNews.com)

On a day we use to remember, New York made it one to forget.

A couple comebacks were wasted when Manny Acosta served up a 3-run homer in the 9th that put it out of reach for the Mets, who dropped the Memorial Day affair to the Phillies, 8-4.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jon Niese didn't have the best of outings, giving up 4 runs on 2 hits and 5 walks in 5 innings. New York bailed him out but it was definitely an L-worthy performance from Niese today.
• Already paper-thin in the infield, the Mets suffered another injury as Justin Turner went down with a nasty ankle sprain on a rundown in the bottom of the 3rd inning. The injury turned out to be not as bad as it looked in real time, but Le Grande Orange Jr. will still miss 2-3 weeks. This forced Terry Collins to get creative with his infield: Vinny Rottino moved in from left field to third base, and David Wright took over Turner's void at shortstop.
• After the Mets came back twice with 2-run homers (see Good Stuff below), Bobby Parnell couldn't hold back the Philadelphia bats in the 7th, as a single, walk, and 2-out single brought home the go-ahead run.
• Even by the time the 9th inning rolled around, New York was still in it to win it: down just 5-4 with a closer they had already gotten to earlier in the year (Jonathan Papelbon), their chances were still pretty good. But Manny Acosta came in and put all those hopes to rest, allowing a 3-run homer to Ty Wigginton that ended all hopes of a comeback. Acosta's ERA now stands at 11.86 on the year, numbers that make DJ Carrasco look like Mariano Rivera.
• David Wright grounded out to end the game and end another 0-for: Wright went 0-4 and is hitless in his last 4 games, hitting just 4 for his last 26. With dreams of .400 in the rearview mirror, now David has to focus on getting back on track and becoming the (slightly more believable) superstar he was meant to be.

The Good Stuff:

• The Mets showed their fight in the 5th and 6th innings, coming back from 2-run deficits in each of the frames. Vinny Rottino opened the scoring with a 2-run homer in the 5th, the second of his career and second in three days. In the 6th, Scott Hairston went deep for another 2-run bomb, tying the game at 4-all and tying him with Wright and Ike Davis for the team lead in longballs with 5.

Final Analysis:
Toughest stretch of the season? You bet. Turner's injury cast a pall on the entire team this afternoon, and Acosta's latest stinker sunk the ship. If the Mets want to hold their own over this next month and be contenders post-All-Star break, two things have to happen. First, injuries need to go away quickly (a completely unpredictable phenomenon, so it will be hard to guard against. Second, Manny Acosta has got to go (a much more controllable proposition). A roster move will be required to replace Justin on the active roster tomorrow, why not bring up another reliever, as well? It'll give the man from Buffalo some company.

MM