Although they may come to miss Orlando Hernandez -- likely out for the postseason -- in the future, the Mets made do without their starting in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Dodgers. They took a 1-0 lead in the three-of-five series. Carlos Delgado's four hits -- including the go-ahed single in the seventh inning -- led the offensive barrage.
For all the talk about rotations in this series, bullpens will also play a large role. On Wednesday, neither was effective, but the Mets' was less shaky. Both were stretched because of short outings by the starters. Derek Lowe didn't finish the sixth for the Dodgers, and John Maine only got an out in the fifth. The Mets handed a three-run lead to Guillermo Mota, but he gave it back in the seventh. Los Angeles needed to use Game 4 starter Brad Penny in the seventh, and he allowed the deciding rally. For the Mets, Aaron Heilman pitched a perfect eighth, and Billy Wagner gave up a run before sealing it in the ninth.
But the signature play of this game came in the second inning, when the Dodgers had not one but two men thrown out at the plate. Russell Martin hit a double with runners on first and second. Jeff Kent, who had been on second, got a terrible break and was nailed. Then, to everyone's surprised J.D. Drew -- who had been on first -- came sliding home. Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca alertly tagged him out. Giving away an out on the bases is bad enough, but giving away two is atrocious. Who knows how that inning would have gone if a run had scored and Maine had been faced with second and third? Winning in the playoffs is all about chance, and the Mets will take their breaks where they can get them. The team's had its share of bad ones over the past week.
Photos by Tien Mao
