Mets Avoid Sweep in Milwaukee: I'll Drink to That.

At least it wasn't a sweep! Mets fans are jubilant today for a number of reasons. One, the five game losing streak is over. Two, Big Pelf pitched his best game of the season. Three K-Rod seemed like he was back to normal. Four, Jerry's managing didn't cost us another game. Five, the Phillies keep losing as well , and finally six, we are one game closer to getting our regulars back.

Mondays game against the Brewers showed Mets fans two things they hadn't experienced yet. First was Fernando Nieve is not Superman and the Brewers can surly hit.

Fernando gave up more hits in the first three innings than he did in his frist three games. he was shelled for 3 runs and 11 hits after only getting one out in the fourth inning. his ERA ballooned to 2.25 which is still not too shabby at all but it still remains to be seen if Nieve will get his next scheduled start in Philadelphia on Saturday. Some speculate that if Oliver Perez is ready wouldn't that be a good place to see where he's at.

In the meantime the Brewers pounded out 10 runs on 19 hits including a Grand Slam Home Run by Casey McGee, the Chicago Cubs castoff and a 4 for 4 night by JJ Hardy.

Nine hits between Ryan Church, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Martinez was not enough offense on this night but the Mets still left the field in pretty good spirits because their ace, their stopper, Johan Santana would save them from a longer losing streak the next night.

Tuesday's game started on the right note as David Wright blasted his 5th Home Run of the year giving the Mets and Johan an early two run lead. David's shot left the park in deep right center which is a very good sign that he's staying the course and trying to hit to all fields and not trying to jerk the ball out of the park.

Some reporters including myself have said that David's participation in the Home Run Derby a few years back hurt him considerably as he always now has to remind himself about pulling the ball with an uppercut swing and keeping his swing level and trying to hit every ball right over the pitchers head.

At the beginning of the game Jerry promised that no matter happened in the game that night both Wright and Sheffield will be getting Wednesday's matinee off.

Now if only Jerry could keep his promises. David started at third today went 0-4 with three more K's. Good job Jerry, keep it up. You are managing this team right out of contention.

Johan Santana has not been the same pitcher he was at the beginning of the year. One could go all the way back to a start he had in San Francisco where he allowed a number of hr's and his pinpoint control has not been the same since then.

However if you look up the word "gritty" in the dictionary, you should find a pitcher of Johan right there. Even after a disastrous fourth inning where he gave up a bases clearing double to Ryan Braun he pitched a scoreless 5th and 6th inning to keep the Mets in the game.

In the bottom of the 7th, Prince Fielder hit perhaps the longest home run in his career and certainly the longest one hit off Johan Santana to knock the lefty ace out oif the game.

The Brewers went on to win the game 6-3 and Fernando Martinez hit his first major league home run in the ninth as the Mets losing streak extended to 5 games.

Don't get too excited over today's win. The Mets were still outscored 16-10 in the series and after tomorrows make up game with the Pirates the Mets must travel to Philadelphia where the Phillies will try to remember what it's like to win at home.

Still, with all that's churning in the NL East the Mets are only 2 games behind the Phillies and a game and a half behind the red hot Marlins who despite their seemingly negative payroll always seems to be in the race. For those who remember and care about these things, the Marlins won their first World Series in 1997 and again six years later in 2003 and correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this 2009? Hmmmn.