By MARK HALE
June 12, 2008
It wasn't Billy Wagner who got the save last night - it was Carlos Beltran.
After Wagner flushed Mike Pelfrey's gem, Beltran smacked a two-run, walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Mets a 5-3 victory over the Diamondbacks, snapping a five-game skid.
Pelfrey, who threw eight scoreless innings, gave up a single to start the ninth before he was relieved by Wagner with a 3-0 lead in the ninth. Wagner was unable to hold the lead, serving up Mark Reynolds' three-run, game-tying homer.
"There's no way this can happen right here," Beltran said, referring to his thoughts about the game-tying homer.
But facing Edgar Gonzalez in the 13th, Beltran took the Mets home. He drilled a game-winning, two-run shot over the right-center-field wall, ensuring his team avoided what would have been a devastating defeat.
"The bottom line is, we won the ballgame," manager Willie Randolph said.
True, the Mets got the win, and in fact, they also got a game on the Phillies, who lost last night. The Mets are now 6½ games out of first.
Despite the five-game skid and last night's near-meltdown, they're also in position to capture their fourth series out of their last five if they win today with Johan Santana.
"We're good enough to do that," Wagner said.
Pelfrey deserved a better fate. He fired a masterpiece, fashioning the best outing of his career. He struck out eight in eight-plus innings, tallying career highs in innings and whiffs.
It was a magnificent effort. That Wagner ruined.
After Pelfrey allowed Stephen Drew's leadoff single in the ninth, in came Wagner, who had blown his last save opportunity on Sunday when Tony Clark took him deep. This time, he allowed a one-out double, then with two outs saw Reynolds clobber a 96-mph fastball over the picnic section in left-center, a 420-foot, game-tying blast.
"It [stinks]," Wagner said.
Randolph allowed Pelfrey to start the ninth, something which was popular among the Shea Stadium crowd but also was risky. Pelfrey had thrown 110 pitches, and though he had been exceptional, it was still a gamble.
"He was throwing the ball well," Randolph said.
Pelfrey, who outpitched Brandon Webb, has now fired three straight strong outings, posting a 1.71 ERA during that span. He allowed just five hits, but he had no victory.
"At first it was really disappointing, but as long as we get the win, that's all that matters," Pelfrey said. "This was a big start for me. I have to perform."
- Additional reporting by Brian Costello and Dan Martin
13 INNINGS Mets 5 D'backs 3
