Mets blow lead in game, loss column

First the Mets blow leads of 3-0 and 4-3 and lose the game against Houston on another bullpen meltdown. Then the Philies rally in the ninth and win in the eleventh for their third straight over L.A. So much for a great August - suddenly the Mets are just a half game in front and tied in the loss column. Sunday’s results mean that either team can be in first at the end of this week’s Mets-Philly two-game series. At least the Mets have Johan Santana pitching one of the games. Under Jerry Manuel, Santana always manages to face the Phils, which wasn’t always the case under Willie Randolph. Oddly enough, the only two games the Mets have lost to the Phillies out of seven under Manuel have been games Santana started, but that has mostly to do with the bullpen. Santana left the July 22 game after 8 innings with a 5-2 lead before one of the bullpen’s most notorious meltdowns, resulting in a six-run ninth. On July 4, Santana also gave up two runs in eight innings and the ... (link)