Boom goes the dynamite

Carlos Beltran had been showing signs of becoming the player who would carry the Mets down the stretch, and then Friday night he put up a billboard.

Beltran's two-out grand slam in the top of the ninth erased a 2-1 Marlins lead and put the Mets up by three. Of course, the win was far from secure, as Luis Ayala struggled after getting the first two outs and finally closed it with two runs in, the tying run on third and the winning run on second.

Hey, a win's a win.

Beltran knocked in all five runs for the Mets, who got six innings from Ollie Perez, who walked five and allowed three hits. The Mets put runners on base against Florida starter Chris Volstad but couldn't get them home, and then had a wonderful opportunity in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out.

Luis Castillo grounded into a force at home, and David Wright struck out to end the inning. Both players got redemption in the ninth when Castillo got a two-out single to start the rally. Wright singled, Kevin Gregg hit Carlos Delgado in the shin, and then Beltran blasted the first pitch he saw, a hanging slider, deep over the wall in right. Mayhem ensued.

Oh, yes, the Phillies lost in Chicago, and likely watched as Beltran gave the Mets the win. That puts the Mets two games up in the NL East standings, with Mike Pelfrey facing Ricky "I can't believe I have 13 wins" Nolasco on Saturday.