Good thing they play in a pitcher's park

The Mets and Nationals concluded their brief series at Shea last night, following a 10-8 affair with a 13-10 slugfest. The 41 combined runs was a record for a two game series in Queens, a fact that I made up and can't be bothered to verify. That's good math skills though, I did that in my head. Mike Pelfrey and Odalis Perez proved it is a bad idea to stay up all night drinking tequila lamenting why David Wright won't return their calls by giving up a combined 12 runs in 8 total innings of work. Amazingly, Pelfrey left the game after 5 innings in line for the victory before Aaron Heilman did what Aaron Heilman does and surrendered the lead on a 2 run homer. Fortunately, Saul Rivera and Joel Hanrahan are desparate to get out of Washington, and gave their best audition for slots in the Mets 2009 bullpen by surrendering 6 runs in the final two innings.

It is a little unfair to the Mets overworked bullpen that had been outstanding during the team's recent hot streak, but working with Oliver Perez and Pelfrey to surrender 18 runs to the Nationals is no small feat. The cellar dwellers from our nation's capital rank near the bottom in major league baseball in most offensive categories.

Mets come from behind!

For the first time all year, the Mets won a game when trailing after 8 innings. The unlikeliest of heroes, Endy Chavez hit his first home run since tearing his hamstring early LAST season to tie the game leading off the bottom of the 9th. Then after falling behind in the top of the 12th, David Wright led off the bottom of the frame with a walk. Carlos Beltran followed with a single to move Wright to third, then after Damion Easley struck out Fernando Tatis ended the game with a two run double. It was the first career game-winning hit for Tatis who sat out the entire 2004 and 2005 seasons contemplating retirement.

Jose Reyes went 2 for 5 with a walk to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, reaching base for the 28th straight game. Carlos Beltran went 2 for 6, reaching base for the 31st straight game. Both players are instrumental to the Mets offensive success so it's nice to see them settling into the season.

The most encouraging sign from last night's game, lost a little bit in the excitement of the Mets actually coming from behind to win a game was Aaron Heilman's 2 innings of hitless relief. As recently as last season, Heilman was an integral part of the bullpen, slamming the door shut in the 8th inning to set up Billy Wagner in the 9th. This season he seems to be giving up a home run every game and has been key in the Mets inability to come from behind. It is just disheartening to watch a 1 run deficit balloon to 3 or more because your supposedly steady middle-relievers take such pleasure in watching a small white ball disappear into the night sky far beyond the outfield fence.

Hey, everyone but Aaron Heilman pitched really well last night!

Unfortunately, Aaron Heilman also pitched, yielding the hits and runs that ultimately led to the Mets 5-3 defeat at the hands of the lowly Washington Nationals. But I say let us not sling shit in the direction of Mr Heilman! Let's be positive, and fling shit in the direction of the bats! No offense to Tim Redding, but any halfway decent division III college baseball team should be able to muster more than one run against the Nationals starter. Ok, maybe that's a little offensive to Tim Redding. That being said, Redding is bad, the bullpen is worse, and the Mets could only score thrice including a home run from light-hitting catcher Brian Schneider. It turns out that one of the pivotal moments in the game game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Moises Alou was ejected after a called third strike for apparently using a naughty word. Alou's spot in the order game up in the bottom of the eighth inning with the tying runs on base but unfortunately for the Mets, defensive wizard Endy Chavez was batting instead of Alou. Regardless, Heilman gave up a couple of seeing-eye singles and a hard shot from Christian Guzman while Willie watched stoically from the dugout. The four runs (the first was charged to spot starter Claudio Vargas) provided all the offense the Nationals would need to overcome the Mets anemic bats.