“I made a mistake, it was supposed to be fast and down,” said Pelfrey about the home run to right off a 2-0 pitch. It was enough for the Phillies to take two of three from the Mets with an 8-5 win at Citi Field Sunday afternoon. Pelfrey (5-9) went five innings, gave up four runs and the home run to Martinez was the 16^th he gave up this season. When Pelfrey gives up the home run ball, as seems to be a frequent part of his game this season, the right hander has obvious control issues.

“The long ball is what is killing him,” said Mets Manager Terry Collins about his ace starter. Pelfrey has assumed that role more with Johan Santana not slated to return to the rotation anytime soon. Consistency has been an issue for Pelfrey who is 0-2 and with a 9.47 ERA against the Phillies this season. “He’s our guy,” added Collins who saw Pelfrey have two other good outings this month.

Martinez, in for the injured all-star third baseman Placido Polanco, would finish with a career best four RBI game. The Rule-5 pick from the Washington Nationals and native of Santo Domingo DR, said through a translator, “it was worth the wait. I am not a power hitter so I am surprised it left the yard.”

But it was not just Pelfrey that continued to put the Mets further back to the Phillies in the standings, and to the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild card standings. The Mets did make a game of it scoring three runs in the eighth and one run in the ninth, but went 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position. They scored one run off Phils starter and winner Kyle Kendrick (5-4) a,nd three runs off a battered Philadelphia pen, including a run scoring triple by Lucas Duda in the ninth off closer Antonio Bastardo who got his sixth save.

It is obvious, with the Phillies not throwing starters Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, a combined 20 wins between the two, that to beat them you need to have good pitching. Pelfrey and Collins know that they have a lineup of potent hitters. “I thought the guys fought hard today,” said Collins. “We just didn’t pitch today. That was the difference. You have to hold these guys down to keep them from scoring because they have a good pitching staff.”

In the three game series, New York went 4-for-20 with runners in scoring position. Part of that could be attributed to the absence of Carlos Beltran from the lineup the past two games. Beltran has been sidelined with a severe flu, and Collins said, the weakened Beltran would not be available Monday night when the Mets host the Florida Marlins in a makeup game that was postponed by rain on May 17^th.

Philadelphia opened the game with a three-run eighth inning when Jason Bay in left came in on a Ryan Howard liner and the ball hit off the top of his glove for an error. The Citi Field crowd booed Bay again, as he also went 0-for-4 at the plate.

“I missed it,” commented Bay when asked about the play. “It’s one of those things where I missed it. And with Scott Hairston driving in another run with a pinch hit single in the seventh, hitting .375 with two home runs and 10 RBI over his last 10 games, Bay was asked if he was concerned about losing his spot in the lineup.

To that Bay said, “It’s not my job, not my decision to make. Before the break started I had the momentum going.” Bay was on a streak before the all-star break and the Mets lineup seemed to click with Beltran hitting also, even without the injured Jose Reyes out of the lineup.

“When you saw Jason swing the bat last week, thought he was coming out of it,” said Collins. “When we get Carlos (Beltran) back, that should help.” However Beltran left the ballpark after receiving another IV treatment for loss of fluids because of the flu, and Collins said he was almost sure the outfielder will miss another game.

Leaving 11 men on base did not help. And Collins did have another chance to mix and match out of the bullpen, but did not use Bobby Parnell as the closer with the now traded Francisco Rodriguez now in Milwaukee.  One with Florida Monday night, and then three with the St. Louis Cardinals and he can only hope that Beltran returns to the lineup.

NOTES: Chris Capuano (8-8) gets the start against the Marlins who came to New York Sunday night after a Sunday game in Chicago. After the game Florida will go home and play San Diego for three, and the Mets for three more…Duda with two more hits  upped his average to .328 with nine RBI in his last 19 games…Daniel Murphy with a single in the first extended his hitting streak to seven games…

It was the fourth series loss for the Mets against the Phillies this season…Now the good news. Jose Reyes ran before the game and tested the injured hamstring. He is slated to start Monday afternoon for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the Penn league and if all goes well Reyes could come off the DL and start Tuesday night at Citi Field.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Dickey (7-4) was able to stretch his scoreless streak this afternoon, to a career-best 17.0 consecutive innings, which dates back to the fifth inning of his start on July 20^th at Arizona. Along with stretching his scoreless streak Dickey helped to lead the Mets to their major-league leading 14^th shutout of the year.

It was noticed by Dickey along with young catcher Josh Thole saw that sometimes the knuckleball wasn’t going to always make the other team swing and miss, so instead today the two were able to have a game plan which kept the Cardinals off balance.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel was impressed with how the starter could recognize that saying, “Yes, especially for a pitch like the knuckleball, which is difficult to tell what direction it is going to go, even for the catcher. He and Josh have worked very well together to identify what makes them successful.”

Thole who has had the opportunity to catch Dickey in Triple-A affiliate Buffalo noticed one change in the starter, “His secondary pitches make the difference.  It helps to have those secondary pitches and he has really worked on them and it has made him a more successful pitcher.”

“I tried to change speeds and was able to keep them (the Cardinals off balance today,” Dickey said of his start. “The trend for anytime a pitcher has a shutout is when that pitcher has command of the strike zone and I was able to do that today.”

For St. Louis starter Blake Hawksworth was the recipient of a tough loss in this afternoon’s game (4-7) going six innings, giving up seven hits and four runs along with three walks and three strike outs.

In a game which featured many ground balls along with some fine defensive plays neither team was able to get on the board until the bottom of the third inning. Jose Reyes got the Mets going by ripping a double (18) to right field. Reyes was able to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, which dates to July 19^th 2010. Outfielder Angel Pagan followed with a ground ball infield single, which thanks to his speed he was able to beat out and set the stage for rookie sensation Ike Davis.

Davis lifted the first pitch in his at bat over the Nikon sign in center field for his 15^th home run of the season, and gave the Mets a comfortable 3-0 lead. For Davis, who had a day off in yesterday’s game,  the 15 homers are the fifth-most by a Mets rookie in franchise history, holding the overall record is the future Met Hall of Famer Darryl Strawberry with 26 in 1983.

On being able to provide clutch hitting in his first year with the club Davis said, “It is all about the confidence you have as a hitter, you need to be able to go up to the plate and have confidence in your swing. You can have that exact same swing but if you don’t have confidence it won’t go very far.” The first baseman continues by saying, “If I hit it well enough I expect the ball to go out of the park. If I am able to get the barrel of the bat to center or to right, I know for sure it will go out. I just wanted to stay through it and not roll it over.”

Dickey would continue to keep the Cardinals guessing in the top of the fifth inning. One huge ground out was when second baseman Skip Schumaker to hit into a infield double play, along with getting  Yadier Molina to hit into another ground out on a nice backhanded play by rookie Mike Hessman, who was playing third base for New York in the game. Hessman looked good making two nice backhanded grabs in the hot corner in this afternoon’s game.

The Mets would get on the board one last time in the bottom of the fifth inning as Angel Pagan ripped a triple (7) to the right field crevice. Center fielder Carlos Beltran would plate that fourth New York run by lacing a single to left field to give New York the 4-0 lead.

“I am good to go and I just want to be out there and help the team win,” Beltran said after the game. “The main thing for me is that I need to come into the ballpark before the game and do my pre-game routine, which started in St. Lucie, and it will be something that stays with me for the rest of my career.”

Ground balls would continue to greet the Mets infielders as Dickey would induce seven alone in the later innings to keep the Cardinals off the board. In the top of the eighth inning the starter found some trouble as the rain started to come down as Schumaker hit a single to right field to try to start the Cardinals offense, a wild pitch placed the runner on second for pitch hitter Randy Winn. Dickey was able to get out of trouble by getting a hard hit ground ball to Alex Cora to end the inning.

“It is great for us to play behind Dickey,” Davis said after the game. “It is hard sometimes when the pitchers throw the balls outside the strike zone then we stay on your heels a little, but Dickey works so fast and he keeps us on our toes.”

New York would try to add one last run in the bottom of the eighth as Hessman was hit in the shoulder by Cardinal reliever Mike MacDougal. Jose Thole worked a walk to have runners on first and second for Jeff Francoeur. Unfortunately for the 40,087 the outfielder hit a high pop up to first base for the first out. Alex Cora worked a walk, before Dickey hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out. The bases were loaded for Jose Reyes, who hit a hard ground ball for the final out of the inning.

Top of the ninth inning was greeted by a huge cheer as Dickey took the hill to close out the game. Pinch hitter Colby Rasmus singled to center for the fourth St. Louis hit. Felipe Lopez advanced Rasmus on a ground ball to Ike Davis for the first out. A walk to rookie Jon Jay placed runners on first and second for the dangerous duo of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. Dickey would not find out how he would have fared against the two big bats as manager Jerry Manuel called for reliever Francisco Rodriguez who got the last two outs and sealed the 4-0 victory for New York.

“This is one of those wins that you point too and hope that it can turn your season around, “Dickey said. “Yesterday was a heartbreaker, but we had no time to think about it. Today you really saw the character of this team and we really have a shot until the end of the season.”

The Mets will now open a three game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks as righty Mike Pelfrey (10-5, 4.00 ERA) takes on Ian Kennedy (5-8, 4.10 ERA) in a 7:10 p.m. Friday night game at Citi Field.

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Trade News: The National League East got a whole lot tougher today as the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Roy Oswalt in a trade with the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher J.A. Happ and minor league prospects Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose.

Story originally posted on www.latinosports.com

An accomplishment because last season at the break the team was 42-45, in fourth place trailing first place Philadelphia by 6-1/2 in the standings. The Mets know they are contending, and know extra help is here with Carlos Beltran coming off the disabled list and making his season debut in San Francisco Thursday evening,

Though Beltran, out since surgery on his right knee, does present some type of dilemma for manager Jerry Manuel. Well sort of, four outfielders and three spots. Someone will have to sit among Jason Bay, Angel Pagan and Jeff Francoeur.

The plan, according to Manuel is to bat Beltran fourth, a spot currently held by the rookie Ike Davis who will be dropped to the sixth spot. And you can’t sit Pagan down, the Mets most consistent hitter who got another three hits Sunday as New York took the final game over Atlanta salvaging their three-game series.

So what will be the situation when the Mets reconvene Thursday for an 11-game three- city trip that also takes them to Arizona and Los Angeles, a trip the Mets say is crucial as the second half begins. The Mets proved to be a good team at home, 30-16 but their fortunes away from Citi Field not as good at 18-24.

“We didn’t want to go onto the break the way we played the past few days,” commented Manuel after another pitching gem by his ace Johan Santana, which ended the first half on a positive note. New York looked lethargic at the plate the past two games against the division leading Braves, and their other pitcher with first half success, Mike Pelfrey, on Saturday once again could not get past the fifth inning.

But Beltran passed through the Mets clubhouse prior to the finale Sunday, afternoon and Santana gave the team an added lift, more so optimism for a good second half. Nothing but a spot for October baseball is what the Mets want. And they believe with Beltran healthy, and the usual second half success of Santana will get them there.

Francoeur was told by Manuel that he would most likely be regulated as a bench player. Occasionally he will get the start in right, that is, if Pagan hits a tailspin and all indications are that’s not going to happen. Pagan is healthy and shows continually, he is a key offensive cog at the beginning of the lineup.

“It’s not my decision,: commented Pagan about the lineup decisions Manuel has to make, He finished the first half with a string of four consecutive multi-hit games and batted .484 with three doubles, a triple, and two home runs since July 4^th in a seven game span.

Pagan added he would like to stay in the lineup. Manuel only indicated that Beltran will get the start and Francoeur will probably sit for the moment, but there is every reason to believe that there will be a platoon of Francoeur and Pagan. Jason Bay, who sat down Sunday, on his bobble head give-away day has been an offensive disappointment but his multi-million dollar contract leaves him in the lineup.

It is no problem for Francouer, He will go with the plan, and the return of Beltran will not disrupt a Mets clubhouse that has good chemistry and has looked forward to his bat back in the lineup.  You heard the comments from the players and realize how important it is to win.

“We’re not satisfied to be three or four games out of first place,” said David Wright who entered Sunday tied for the National League lead in runs batted in with 65 and starts at third base for the NL all stars.  “Our goal is to win the division. There is need for improvement.”

Santana has improved and has thrown shutout baseball the last two starts. The fastball is back and it is helping his other pitches. Now the Mets need to get Pelfrey back into form and with R.A. Dickey and Jonathan Niese having good first halves, perhaps GM Omar Minaya will try and get another starter,  to, compliment them before the trading deadline.

There is the possible return of pitchers Oliver Perez and John Maine from the disabled list, one or the other could be going to the pen. It has been the pitching that has put the Mets in this position of contention and they would like it to stay that way.

With or without Francouer in the lineup, they know what lies ahead in the coming weeks and months. Jose Reyes also is a part of the plan and needs to stay healthy as that catalyst in the lineup.

“Obviously it’s a good problem we have, it’s a good thing to see,” said Francoeur about Beltran. A good problem for this clubhouse if indeed, Beltran stays healthy and shows signs of once again being the run producer that the Mets have lacked since April.

Francoeur said he will do his part when he is in the lineup to make sure “this team wins.”  So do the rest of these New York Mets who feel they are on the footsteps of their first postseason since 2006.

Beltran won’t hurt their chances and neither would a platoon of Pagan and Francoeur. Now if Bay can finally find his home run swing the way Santana rediscovered his fastball.

E-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

“He wants to play and the decision from our medical staff and my self was to stay home,” explained Minaya. Wright was hit by a Matt Cain fastball Saturday and has the usual headaches associated with a concussion.  The Mets are being cautious about Wright, their team leader, who missed one game all season and don’t want a recurrence of the Ryan Church concussion episode of last season.

Minaya has had his share of bad news all season. The injuries to his starting lineup and pitching staff have been a reason why the Mets are not in contention, and now Wright, who could miss the entire season pending on how long the recuperation takes place. “Based on the recommendations of our doctors and the specialist,” said Minaya when asked why Wright was put on the DL

The mood in the Mets clubhouse Saturday was all about the concern for Wright. It remained that way before and after the game Sunday. Luis Castillo provided the Mets with maybe the longest home run at Citi Field in a 3-2 win. With two outs in the fifth inning he hit a Jonathan Sanchez pitch to the second deck in left field, his first home run since May of 2008.

And Mike Pelfrey, perhaps is back on the right track as he provided the Mets with his best pitching effort of the season. He gave up two runs on five hits in 7/2-3 innings and struck out eight. He has allowed only four runs in three starts against the Giants but only has one win to show for it.

Francisco Rodriquez (3-4) pitched a perfect ninth inning out of the pen and got the win.  Murphy, with his first career walk-off winning hit, was the hero for now. But the Mets clubhouse had all their thoughts with Wright.

“Every time you get a W it’s a good feeling,” said Murphy, “but we all have our thoughts with David.” Jeff Francoeur opened the ninth with single deep in the hole off losing pitcher Sergio Romo (3-2) and scored on the Murphy hit after Fernando Tatis sacrificed him to second.

It was that rare type of win for the Mets who took their second game in the four-game series that concludes Monday evening.

e-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring786@aol.com

And opponents have come to know that getting a win in the Bronx won’t come easy.

But this time, the Toronto Blue Jays were one of those teams that had an answer to not giving the Yankees another late inning comeback win. The recently acquired Eric Hinske, who hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, struck out swinging ending the game with Cody Ramsom at first.

Toronto took the final game of a four-game series 7-6 and the Yankees headed to Minnesota and Los Angeles for six games before the all-star break. But all was not bad for the Yankees, despite failing in their attempt to sweep the four-game series from Toronto. Overall they got good starting pitching and their bullpen continued to impress during the 5-2 home stand.

“We played well and had a pretty good home stand,” said Manager Joe Girardi who had to watch the outcome of this one from his office after being ejected from the game in the first inning. A Derek Jeter steal attempt at third base went against New York and Jeter began to argue that he wasn’t tagged for the out.

Jeter, who has never been ejected for arguing a disputed call in his career wanted to get an explanation. Girardi also wanted one and third base umpire Marty Foster said it was a force play and required no tag. As bizarre as the play was, it took the Yankees out of an inning and early first inning lead.

“I was baffled by the explanation,” said Jeter about Foster’s call. But it was more of a point of view that Jeter slid under the tag and should have had the base. Girardi, ejected for the third time this season, said all he wanted was a valid explanation from Foster.

And Girardi alluded the move by Jeter at the time may have been a mistake.” The idea of being aggressive I have no problem with,” he said. “But you have to be right. We made some base running mistakes. The decision is right if you are safe.”

New York lost for just the second time in 12 games. Starter and loser Andy Pettitte (8-4) had trouble with his command.  He pitched six innings and a third, gave up a season high six earned runs, five hits and walked five. Pettitte also gave up two home runs that put the Yankees in trouble, 12 of his 14 home run balls have been thrown at Yankee Stadium. Alex Rios got his 10th with two on in the third, and John McDonald hit his first, a solo shot in the seventh that gave the Jays a 5-1 lead at the time.

Rookie Left hander Ricky Romero (7-3) was once again a bright spot for Toronto, a team that gets the extra base hit and moving further back in the Al east race behind first place Boston, the Yankees, and Tampa Bay. Romero, a native of Los Angeles California and of Mexican heritage, won his fourth straight game allowing 3 earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings.

“He threw a lot of pitches in the first inning, but he wasn’t throwing bad,” said Toronto manager Cito Gaston about Romero. “He pitched a good game and he showed a lot.” Romero in that first inning walked Jeter, forced a balk, threw a wild pitch and Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch.

And Romero got some help in the outfield. His left fielder Jose Bautista made a nice catch on a ball hit by Yankees Brett Gardner in the third. And in the fourth, he caught a ball off the bat of Robinson Cano, and his relay throw to second resulted in a double play that nailed Rodriguez at first thus averting a Yankees threat.

“It was just 6 1/3 innings but it was 6 1/3 innings where they had me battling every inning,” said Romero who has six wins after a Toronto loss and got out of numerous jams. He also had his 24.0 inning scoreless streak snapped with Hinske’s home run which tied the franchise rookie record for consecutive shutout innings set by Mark Eichhorn in 1976.

Said Romero, “I was really excited, you know it’s a packed house, it’s the Yankees and you want to do really good.  Jason Frasor got his third save in five opportunities.  And for the Yankees ninth inning heroics surly will come again.

“Two outs you feel that something is going to happen,” said Girardi referring to that last out with Hinske at bat. And for the Yankees it has become so common that they expect to win games like this all the time.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Santana (8-5) took the loss, third in his last four starts after coming off the worst outing of his career at the hands of the New York Yankees last Sunday. But he pitched well and did not allow a hit until a Jason Bartlett one-out double in the fifth inning. Overall, Santana gave up three hits and three walks in 7 1/3 innings.

A home run blast to right center from Carlos Peña, his Al leading 22nd broke a tie in the seventh and then the rains came. Santana was lifted after the 73 minute delay and Shields, also lifted after the delay, was just as good giving up three hits in seven innings, retiring his last 14 batters.

“We wanted to win one for him,” said Peña about Shields. Peña also increased his RBI total to 51 with the solo home run. “This team bears down,” he said. “We know who we’re up against,” commenting about Santana who was 3-2 in seven previous starts against the Rays.

Any questions as to the health of Santana after that poor outing against the Yankees were quickly answered. He resembled the old Santana with good velocity on his fastball and pitching ahead of the Tampa Bay hitters. “A lot of people were panicking and a lot of people were making comments about the stuff that I do,” said Santana.

“I was a little more aggressive.  I have confidence in the things that I do and I was able to make some adjustments, put it back together and work on it.  I feel much better today.” And the Rays, who lead baseball in runs scored, knew they were facing the best.

“I think, out guys in general, after last year like bigger games, like bigger crowds and like facing a pitcher like Johan,: said Rays manager Joe Maddon. “It was a battle today and whenever you are facing Johan Santana,” commented Shields (6-5) who allowed a second inning double to Omir Santos that scored Ryan Church, who also doubled, to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead.

The concern though may be Santana and his tendency of giving up the home run ball.  The one to Peña, off a 92 mph fastball was his team leading 12th. “Johan was back to normal,” said Mets manager Jerry Manuel who went to his pen later.  Ben Zobrist hit his 15th home run off Sean Green in the ninth which became a huge run for the Rays.

“I felt very confident that he would have a good outing,” said Manuel about Santana. In the end though, the Mets could not get on base and put any type of threat together against Shields, Dan Wheeler and J.P. Howell.

And Peña, who now has played in two new shining ballparks in New York, will take the win. He found it harder to hit one across town at Yankee Stadium when the Rays were in town two weeks ago. “It’s a big ballpark, it’s huge,’ he said about Citi Field.

But nothing was bigger than that huge Babe Ruth type home run against Santana. “Those close games are good to win,” said Peña. The finale of the three game series is Sunday at 1:10pm with Jeff Niemann (6-4) opposing (5-2) Mike Pelfrey of the Mets.