Livan's day is Complete with 6-1 Win; Sheff Continues to Hit

Finally! Jerry "Manual" threw the book away and let a pitcher do what we fans know they can do: throw a complete game.

Livan Hernandez was masterful in raising his record to 4-1 with a 6-1 victory over the hapless Nationals. His complete game was the Mets first of the season (at Citi Field to boot) and it was also the first for the team in the last 46 games. In fact - and quite pathetically - no Mets starter had thrown a pitch in the 8th inning prior to Livan's performance the entire season so far.

The Mets staked him to a 3-run lead in the early innings and Gary Sheffield broke it wide open with a 7th inning 3-run shot. Sheffield's been nothing short of fantastic for this team. OK... I admit it. I was wrong about the Mets signing him.

Livan struck out 6 in helping the Mets go 5 games over .500. The Mets seem to be weathering the injury storm very nicely. Before the game started, the team added Jose Reyes and Ryan Church to the disabled list and called up Fernando Martinez (who K'ed twice and was hit by a pitch in his Major League debut). But before you start saying "oh, it's only the Nationals", remember this (and there are no exceptions):

You have to beat the teams you're supposed to beat to make the postseason. The Mets choked the last 2 Septembers no so much because they lost to the Phillies, but rather because they couldn't beat the likes of the Marlins and the Nats (at home, no less!).

So let's go out and sweep those Nats tomorrow with Johan on the mound, why don't ya?