Steve's favorite pitcher, Oliver Perez, was on the mound and Steve was running late to the game (not his fault) for Fiesta de Latino night at Shea. Steve is wearing his Vamos Mets shirt. Professor Reyes Spanish phrase of the day is: Hablo como un loro parico (I talk like a parrot.)
Ollie gets out of a 1st inning jam and Reyes leads off with a walk, steals second and Gotay doubles him home. That was all that was really needed as Oliver Perez tossed a three hit, 7 inning shutout . But in-between the first and when Ollie was pulled in the 8th, the Mets connected for two more runs, a Reyes double and coming around to score and a David Wright solo opposite field shot (which Steve predicted and Kathleen and Sally mocked.)
Vamos Mets!
Sosa comes in for the 8th with a 3-0 lead. He faces four batters and gets one out before Pedro Feliciano comes in to bail him out (with the help of some fancy glove work of David Wright.)
The Mets connect for 2 more runs in the of the 8th to give Steve some sanity. Then for the third time in a week Wagner gives up runs in the 9th, loading the bases for Jeff Kent out-putting the tying run at-bat with one out. Steve's biggest nightmare, Kent, did not come through. Wagner gives up a run, but blows the lead. Cy Young favorite Brad Penney improves :) to 1-9 at Shea Stadium.
I know the Tank thinks the Mets playoff chances are good, but the bullpen situation is making Steve nervous. Fellow fans talking to Steve felt the same way, the Mets will make the playoffs but advancement is a question mark. The only way for the Mets playoff chances to improve is for Pedro to come back and have a playoff rotation of Pedro, Glavine, Maine, and el Duque and move Ollie to the bullpen for middle relief. We'll see.
Posted Live! by Steve from Fiesta de Latino night at Shea.