On the Mets beat

Fernando Tatis.

Rolls off your tongue, no? You thought about him when you woke up this morning and smiled, didn’t ya, Mets fans? Sure you did. His two homers – moonshots, really – and four runs in yesterday’s 6-5 win over the Padres were enough to help the Mets end its four-game losing streak. Just barely.

It's safe to say that Tatis -- who has a hit in 11 straight games and is batting .395 with four home runs and 11 RBIs since July 24 -- has helped you forget about the outfielders with the initials M.A. and R.C., but you're not content. That’s because the bullpen woes continue. And with Billy Wagner on the DL starting Tuesday, there are more questions than answers as Pedro Martinez takes the hill: How many innings are you going to get from Pedro? If it’s close, can you depend on Aaron Heilman? Some interesting poll questions ahead. So join in. First pitch at 7:10.

Top 1st -- Two mango-sized pitches to Jody Gerut and Brian Giles left the park. If you've got to give a pair of home runs in the first inning, I guess that's the way to do it. Padres 2, Mets 0

Bottom 1st -- Mets prospect David Murphy is certainly making an impact. After Jose Reyes grounded out, he legged out a one-out triple and scored on an error by Edgar Gonzalez and the RBI went to David Wright. Padres 2, Mets 1

Top 2nd -- Pedro settled down nicely. This is beginning to resemble his last start against Houston in which he left the game in the fifth inning with the score tied 3-3 -- on three solo homers.

Bottom 2nd -- Damian Easley got plunked by a pitch on the arm, but couldn't pass second when Pedro made the last out on a fly ball.

Top 3rd -- Another 1-2-3 inning for Pedro. With the top of the order up, it's time to put some runs up early. No need to be in a close ballgame with your closer hurt, right Jerry Manuel?

Bottom 3rd -- David Wright's two-out single ended an 0-for-15 slumperroo. Delgado couldn't drive him in to tie the game, ending the inning on a ground. Back to Pedro, which, if you consider the last two innings, ain't such a bad thing.

Top 4th -- After giving up a four-pitch, leadoff walk, Pedro retired three straight batters, including Chase Headley on a nasty change up to end the inning.

Bottom 4th -- Fernando Tatis reached on a single. Baek intentionally walked Brian Schneider to face Pedro and retired him to end the inning.

Top 5th -- Pedro walked Egdar Gonzalez with two on and two out to load the bases. Brian Giles popped up to Carlos Beltran to end the inning.

Bottom 5th -- Reyes and Murphy both singled to start the inning, and Murphy's hit drove in Reyes to tie the score at 2. David Wright thought there were two outs, failed to tag at first, and was doubled up at first on a Carlos Beltran fly ball. The play ended a potentially big inning scoring wise. The rookie Murphy knew how many outs there were.

Top 6th -- Another easy inning for Pedro. We said at the beginning should Pedro get through six innings, it would be a gift for the Mets. Now he's there, and could potentially go a seventh. Who knew? Not to state the obvious, but now the Mets need runs.

Bottom 6th -- Schneider lined a two-out base hit, and Manuel didn't pinch hit for Pedro, meaning he'll be in out there pitching in the seventh.

Top 7th -- Luis Rodriguez lined a double down the right field line, and Baek moved him over to second on a bunt. That was the end of Pedro's night: 102 pitches. Pedro Feliciano came on and struck out Gerut, but walked Edgar Gonzalez, who seems to have done everything his power to lose the game for the Padres. Giles then fisted off a ground ball to third. IIt ate up Wright, and scored Rodriguez to take the lead. Padres 3, Mets 2

Bottom 7th -- Murphy got his third base hit of the game, followed up by David Wright's second single of the game. Delgado gave a 1-0 fastball a ride to left center at the warning track. Beltran grounded out to first to end the inning. No runs. Six more outs.

Top 8th -- Eddie Kunz, welcome to the big leagues. Chase Headley took him deep on a 1-1 fastball to take a 4-2 lead. Padres 4, Mets 2

Bottom 8th -- No late-inning heroics for Tatis this time. He popped a weak pop up to second. Easley hit a fly ball to center for second. Heath bell then retired Argenis Reyes to end the inning.

Top 9th -- Scott Schowenweis helped the Mets get out of the inning unscathed. With three outs left, they'll try to score on one of the greatest closers of all-time: Trevor Hoffman.

Bottom 9th -- Here's how it went: Reyes popped up to center, Murphy struck out, and Wright grounded out. Pedro gets the loss. Mets fall three games back of the first-place Phillies. Santana tomorrow. FINAL: Padres 4, Mets 2

Good night!