Delgado's Slam, Perez Gem Lead Mets 4-0

For 7 1/2 tense innings the Mets and supporters at Shea finally had something other than Santana's knee injury to worry about.



True enough, Oliver Perez, in a likely bid for big bucks, pitched last night as he never had before in a Mets uniform despite a pretty decent record against top opponents. A two-hit complete game shut out however, was in danger of being wasted until the decisive 8th.

"Today, that was the real Ollie," Perez said, keeping the inflatable imposter stuffed in his battered suitcase.

"If we can get Ollie to be consistent, which has been the dilemma for him his whole career, we will have an excellent pitcher, no question," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "Just don't tell Scott Boras that."

Cubs starter Rich Harden was cruising along on his own, having allowed only a single to Ryan Church through seven innings. It looked for all the world like the game would come down to the pens, a thought that made Shea uneasy to say the least.

But then with 1 out in the 8th, Brian Schneider singled. Shockingly, rather than turn to his bench for a pinch hitter for Perez, Manuel allowed Perez to hit.

"The way Ollie was pitching and the way the pen was pitching, what choice did I have?" Manuel asked rhetorically afterwards in explanation. "All he had to do was move the runner over."

Perez struck out instead, causing a cascade of booing in Manuel's direction.

Reyes followed with an infield single to move Schneider and again, Manuel's tactics were screamingly called into question when he failed to replace Schneider, the lead run, with a pinch runner.

Bizarrely, despite the rally, the booing became louder, more hateful, almost feral, when Beltran singled and Schneider was held up at 3rd by the third base clown, Luis Aguayo, who was showered with garbage from as far away as the Mezzanine Boxes, section 572.

Why, Jerry, why?

"Just like Ollie, Carlos Delgado is facing a big off season contractually. I thought I'd give him a chance to prove himself worthy of having his option picked up." Manuel explained rather improbably. And what if he'd struck out or otherwise failed? Manuel shrugged. "I guess he'd be playing in KC or someplace similar next season."

For his part, Lou Piniella was also criticised for leaving Harden in too long and letting him face Delgado instead of calling on his fabled bullpen. When questioned after the game why he didn't bring in someone from the pen, Piniella fumed: "Why don't you go and fuck yourself? How many years have you managed a Major League team? How many years were you a professional baseball player? What's that? None? Zero? That's what I figured. Now go write a story about O.J. or something you fucking idiot!"

Delgado saw two pitches outside the strike zone, willing himself not to swing but then hammered a low fastball out over the left field fence to turn the game. He even came out for a curtain call.


Game over...thanks, Lou

Whilst the victory puts the Mets one win away from the NLCS for the second time in three years, the worries about Santana and the rotation continues.

It is rumoured that the injury would not necessarily worsen by pitching, the brass is not eager to gamble on ruining a big contract career for the sake of one postseason. The Mets may have to make due without him, possibly pitching Pedro Sunday and Pelfrey if there is a Game 5.