Now that's using your head

Damion Easley took one off the noggin and the Mets bullpen actually came through and saved a win for Johan Santana. Will wonders never cease?

It looked like the same old, same old when Santana allowed a pinch-hit homer to Ryan Langerhans (I know, are you kidding me or what?) that tied the score, 3-3, in the bottom of the seventh. But the Mets loaded the bases against Saul Rivera in the eighth on singles by David Wright and Carlos Beltran and a one-out walk to Fernando Tatis. One batter later, Easley was grazed on the top of his helmet by a Rivera pitch and the Mets took the 4-3 lead, which made Santana the pitcher of record.

Joe Smith pitched a scoreless eighth and Pedro Feliciano came on in the ninth and struck out two to get the save. Hallelujia!

The Mets bullpen had a pregame meeting, led by Scott Schoeneweis, presumably to get their house in order after Jerry Manuel suggested possibly putting a starter in the pen to stop the recent bleeding. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that and the Mets' relievers can pull it together.

Carlos Delgado doubled in the Mets' first two runs and Beltran doubled in the third; he had three hits on the day and if he gets it going in August it would be a huge boost for the offense.

John Maine returns to the rotation Wednesday night against Jason Bergmann.