Another victory got away from New York and Florida tied them for third place in the NL East, now taking four straight at Citi Field. The Mets look like the fading team, while the Marlins are making a move in the wild card and their 80- year old manager, Jack McKeon, who took over for Edwin Rodriquez on June 19th has his team at 50-50.

With New York ahead, 3-2 in the ninth and with Jason Isringhausen, who got the loss (2-2) on the mound, John Buck was hit by a pitch that loaded the bases. Pinch hitter Bryan Patterson hit a slow grounder to second base and Turner charged for the ball. Buck would stop in the middle of the base path and Turner tossed the ball to first instead of going for the out at the plate. The ball went past Lucas Duda at first enabling the Marlins to take a 4-3 lead.

“He did an outstanding job of base running,” said Turner about the throw to first and how Buck commanded the base path. “I don’t necessarily think that I made a bad choice, I just made a bad throw,” he said. And to the credit of Turner, a rookie mistake is possible, but in this case it cost the Mets another ballgame and extended their losing streak to four games after winning five straight.

It has epitomized the Mets season. Win a few in a row and then compile a losing streak. Though they have the best road record in the National League, New York still struggles at Citi Field at 22-28. Earlier this season, when New York lost six of seven games in the late innings, also at home, manager Terry Collins said it had to get better. He was not lambasting Turner about the decision Tuesday night about the play to first but offered his opinion.


“When that ball is hit you can’t get two,” he said, also explaining that he talked to his rookie about the play. “You have to go to the plate. I talked to Justin. He knew what he had to do. He just didn’t get it done. We have to make plays because we don’t strike many people out.”

Collins was alluding to his bullpen that gave up the game Monday night. New York has now lost three straight when the winning run was scored in their opponents final at bat, which included the final two games against Washington on the recently completed road trip, and two at home to start the series with Florida.

Chris Capuano pitched six good innings for New York and was the victim of two solo home runs from Omar Infante in the first and fifth innings, both balls going to left field. Infante is not known for the home run ball, now with three on the season. “You have to make the pitches and Infante got me a couple of times,” said Capuano who became the second pitcher in Mets history to start three games against the same opponent in a span of no more than 16 days.

“It’s like they went through that really bad streak and ever since they haven’t let up,” he said about the latest winning ways of the Marlins. Jose Reyes hit his first home run of the season from the right side in the third inning that tied the score at 1-1.

Said Collins about the latest three games, “Three losses in a row, they hurt bad. We now let the Marlins catch us. We let some games slip away when you are fighting for something.”

NOTES: Johan Santana will not make his next rehab start scheduled for Thursday and will see a doctor in New York. The Mets starter, who had off -season left shoulder surgery, is feeling discomfort and it could be a setback to getting him back this season.

“It’s a matter of Johan proceeding at his own pace,” said General Manager Sandy Alderson. Said Collins, “I want this guy on this team, I am disappointed but he knows about pain,” alluding to Santana knowing when it will be the right time to return…

Isringhausen, two saves away from a career milestone 300th, may not be used Wednesday night in game three of the series. The 38-year old veteran, who has become the closer and used more often when Francisco Rodriguez was traded, may be showing some signs of fatigue after a shaky ninth inning that led to the Turner play.
e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

The Mets 4-3 win in the 10^th inning was something rare this season as they won their first game when trailing after seven innings.  And their eighth win in their last nine did have some dramatic moments when coming from behind. Jose Reyes once again tried stretching a run scoring double into a triple in the eighth and was easily thrown out.

Perhaps the aggressive Reyes, the catalyst, trying to get the win, then, that cut the Braves lead to 3-2. But it was Reyes who sparked the rally in the 10^th reaching base on an infield single and then stealing second. That led to Alex Cora drawing an intentional walk, pinch hitter Ramon Castro drawing a walk and then Beltran getting a walk-off walk for the win.

“Good hitting and stupid base running,” said Reyes afterwards about that aggressive base running mistake. His manager Jerry Manuel knows Reyes makes things happen, so does Beltran who entered the game as the second leading hitter in the National League.

Not easy for these Mets but another win that was interesting.  Beltran doubled, stole third and scored the tying run for the Mets in the ninth. “He can take over a game,” said Manuel about Beltran. “That’s basically what he did tonight.”

“Historically these types of games of this fashion we don’t win,” said Manuel. But the Mets are finding ways to win games like this even against the arch rival Braves. Manuel may have been referring to how last year the Mets would not get a win of this fashion as Atlanta pitcher Jair Jurrjens took a four-hit shutout into the eighth inning.

Then the double by Reyes, and once again Francisco Rodriguez (1-0) out of the pen throwing two scoreless innings and his first win as a Met. “Wins like this get you going,” said Rodriguez who pitched two innings for the first time since August 17, 2007 when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mike Pelfrey gave up two runs in seven strong innings. “He had his best stuff of the year,” said Manuel. “He was outstanding tonight. For Mike I thought this was his best performance with his best stiff,” he said.

But the best stuff was to come, as the Mets 18-14 and holding first place in the NL East staged a comeback that had the 39,408 fans at Citi Field knowing well that games like this were hard to win last season.

That Beltran steal in the ninth, he can do that,” said Manuel, adding that is the type of ballplayer the Mets have that can make things happen. More importantly, with Carlos Delgado possibly headed to the disabled list with a bad hip the continued strong play of Beltran is important.

And a walk-off win via the walk is another way the Mets have found a way to win.

e-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring786@aol.com