Roller Coaster Game Ends with Mets Win

First they looked bad - really bad. Then they looked good - really good. Then they looked bad again, and finally the Mets ended up looking good again by winning an improbable game by a 9-8 final in 10 innings.

The Mets had to rally from 5 runs down to win this game. You read that right! There aren't any typos in that sentence. Usually, when the Mets are down by a run or two at any point in the game, you can stop watching and start doing something constructive instead because the team won't win that game. But today in Pittsburgh, it was a totally different story. In fact, it's the kind of win that can build momentum and turn a season around. Let's hope.

Ryan Church came up with another big hit to drive in Fernando Tatis in the 10th inning after there were 2 men out and nobody on base. Tatis was hit by a pitch and really took one for the team in this one. The Mets had to play the tenth inning because KRod blew his 3rd save opportunity of the year by allowing a monster shot from the bat of Adam LaRoche. Tatis was hit by a pitch previously in the game as well, plus he also hit a two-run homer which looked to give the Mets the insurance runs they hoped they wouldn't need. He totalled 3 hits, scored 4 runs, stole a base, didn't ground out into a double play by hustling down the line at first, and flashed a good glove in the field.

When the boxscore shows 11 different players batting in the ninth spot in the order, you know you're watching a roller coaster game. Nick Evans and Alex Cora each had 2 hits apiece in the game, and Daniel Murphy drove in 2 big runs to start the comeback rally.

And how bad was Tim Redding and his 6.99 ERA? He couldn't even make it past the third inning against the Pirates and will probably be bumped from the starting rotation after Oliver Perez makes his rehab start tomorrow. That's bad.

But a Met comeback?... a real Met rally?... scoring more than 1 run in an inning NOT due to a homerun?... that's good. The team is back at .500 and hopefully has a better attitude going into the 3 game set at Philly than they had 3 days ago.