On the Mets beat

It's a beautiful day for baseball, let's play two. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, Mike Gavin here for another day of Mets baseball.

The last time Mets fans saw Tom Glavine, he was making the unenviable trip from the mound to the dugout after allowing seven runs in 1/3 of an inning. That loss put the finishing touches on a historic collapse and helped facilitate Glavine's return to Atlanta. Today, John Maine and the Mets take on Glavine and the Braves as the Mets try to build some momentum coming out of the Subway Series. First pitch is just minutes away.....

1:24 -- Glavine is picking up right where he left off in the final game of his Mets career. Luis Castillo hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot just over the left-field wall. The Mets loaded the bases but Moises Alou and Carlos Delgado hit line drives to end the inning. Solid inning for the Mets though, they took good swings and hit the ball hard. Good to see Glavine get through the first inning for a change. Mets 1, Braves 0.

1:35 -- Good job by Reyes to throw Escobar out at third after a leadoff double. Heads up play by Reyes, poor fundamentals by Escobar. For you little leaguers out there, never make the first or third out at third base. Mark Teixeira hit an RBI-single to tie the game at 1-1. Mets 1, Braves 1.

1:41 -- 1-2-3 inning for Glavine.

1:55 -- Maine counters with a strong inning of his own. Maine has been extremely impressive so far this season and has emerged as a legitimate number two starter. If Pedro comes back and shows any semblance of his old self and Oliver Perez manages to find some consistency, the Mets will have a very formidable rotation.

1:57 -- Yet another perfect inning for Glavine. Mets have gone down pretty quickly the past two innings, not much of a breather for Maine.

2:12 -- Chipper Jones scored on a single by Brian McCann. Maine's pitch count is higher than it should be, especially on the day of a doubleheader. The last three Met starters have lasted into the eighth inning, but that streak will end today. Maine will be lucky to get through five. Braves 2, Mets 1.

2:18 -- Glavine has now retired 11 straight. Where is the man that couldn't get out of the first inning last September?

2:30 -- The Braves manufacture a run with a double, a bunt, and a sacrifice fly by Escobar. Maine's control is not there today, he hasn't allowed three runs in a game since his first start of the season. Braves 3, Mets 1.

2:36 -- Mets go down in order. Things looked so promising for the Mets in the top of the first inning but they have been unable to do anything since. Panic is setting in, someone needs to be fired or traded before the top of the sixth inning.

2:49 -- I call Maine a legit number two starter and he takes a turn for the worse. Maine gave up a walk to Jones and a single to Teixeira, and was then relieved by Scott Schoeneweis. After intentionally walking Francoeur to load the bases, Schoeneweis escapes with minimal damage, allowing only a sac fly. Braves 4, Mets 1.

2:54 -- Unfortunately for the Mets, Glavine is resembling the Hall of Fame pitcher that he is rather than the man that allowed seven runs in the first inning versus the Marlins last season. Mets haven't had a baserunner since the first inning. Willie still looks calm as a cucumber, much to the chagrin of Mets fans.

3:01 -- Another good inning for Schoeneweis. Time for the Mets to get a man on base and maybe, just maybe, drive him in too.

3:10 -- New pitcher, same result. Will Ohman replaces Glavine and proceeds to shut the Mets down in order. For those of you keeping track at home, thats 20 in a row retired by the Braves.

3:25 -- "Home run" Heilman comes in and promptly gives up a two-run homer to McCann. Mets now trail by five, which is an insurmountable total considering the way they have been hitting today. I think we will see gas prices drop below $3.00 a gallon before we see the Mets get another baserunner in this game, never mind score five runs. Braves 6, Mets 1.

3:37 -- The Mets actually got a man on base. I guess anything is possible. Maybe pigs really will fly one day.

3:45 -- The Mets performance has been so forgettable that the SNY announcers just spent a majority of the inning talking about Keith Hernandez's new diet. Meanwhile, Matt Wise allowed a hit but nothing more. Standby for the top of the ninth where we will find out what Ron Darling eats for breakfast.

3:54 -- The Mets had a sudden offensive outburst with two whole singles, but the rally fell short when Delgado grounded out to first. Glavine costs the Mets yet another win. If only he could of pitched a gem like this on September 30, 2007 versus the Marlins. Hopefully the Mets can make up for it in the second game. Final Score: Braves 6, Mets 1.