For one half inning, the New York Mets showed just how tenacious they could be this year. It looked as if the New York Mets were about to go home with an extremely gratifying come-from-behind with against a very good Milwaukee Brewers club at home. Down 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Mets put a five-spot on the board to go ahead 6-2, and New York would need just six outs to clinch their fourth consecutive win.
After the next half inning, however, the Mets went into the ninth inning looking to put the decisive run on the board, as Milwaukee scored four times in the eighth. New York went quiet down quietly in the ninth and the pathetic relief efforts continued, with Nyjer Morgan capping the win for the Brewers, with a game-winning RBI single, to win 7-6.
Jose Reyes began the eighth-inning rally with an infield single, then stole second. Carlos Beltran doubled him home, Angel Pagan singled home a run, and Ronny Paulino put an exclamation point on the inning with a three-run homerun. The Mets had what seemed like a commanding 6-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Even after a clean seventh inning of relief from Bobby Parnell, the Mets' relief struggled reared its ugly head in the eighth. Pedro Beato was hit around, his fastball straight, giving up three earned runs. Ryan Bruan doubled home two runners, and Jason Isringhausen was called on to clean up the Mets but promptly gave up a mammoth home run to Prince Fielder (his second of the game), which tied the game at 6.
Terry Collins elected to go with Dale Thayer in the ninth inning, and he paid for it. He got the first out, then allowed a single. Rickie Weeks struck out, but on the strikeout, Craig Counsell stole second without a throw. Morgan singled him home in the next at bat to give the Brewers the victory.
The Mets' problems now are obvious -- even on a night in which Mike Pelfrey gives up two earned runs in six innings, the bullpen continues to cost Mets victories. Collins better figure out who he can trust very soon, or the Mets' playoff chances will be gone very soon.