Wagner out, Perez still on

Billy Wagner is out indefinitely with continued swelling in his left elbow, and you couldn't get worse news. With the bullpen already in a shambles before Wagner, it's now a complete crap shoot heading down the stretch. I can feel the ulcer burning already.

But the Mets didn't let that news get them down and in fact they staged a comeback victory over the Braves at Shea Tuesday night, scoring five in the eighth inning. And they did it with the bases loaded, a rarity lately. Carlos Delgado just missed a home run and settled for a two-run double, and then Damion Easley singled in two more to give the Mets a 6-3 lead. Ramon Castro's RBI double upped the margin to 7-4.

Aaron Heilman got the win in relief, a vulture win if there ever was one. Oliver Perez pitched six innings for the 10th straight start, going 6 1/3 and allowing seven hits while walking five, not exactly stellar but not bad. Luis Ayala bailed Perez out in the seventh with two huge outs, while Heilman and Schoenweis each threw a scoreless frame to close it out.

Nick Evans and Carlos Beltran each had two hits and David Wright drove in his 96th run of the season.

Who will close from here on out is a mystery -- Jerry Manuel will likely see who steps up, assuming someone does. Whither El Duque? Playing canasta with Moises Alou and Luis Castillo again?