Blown Opportunity Sinks Friars

With a San Diego-like drizzle and unseasonably cool weather in New York, Chris Young had trouble finding his groove early Tuesday night. He gave up a 2 out, 2 run opposite field bomb to Carlos Beltran in the 1st, giving Beltran homers in 3 consecutive at bats and staking the Mets to an early lead. Making his first start since August 3, Milton Bradley plated the Friar's first run with an RBI single to drive in CY in top of the 3rd, bringing the Padres within a run. Beltran stung Young again in the bottom of the 3rd, this time with a 2 run, 2 out double. Mike Cameron ignited a 2 run Padre 6th with a monster home run to left field. Marcus Giles then drove in Geoff Blum with a 2 out pinch hit triple, pulling the Padres back to within a run. Justin Hampson and Cla Meredith relieved CY in the 6th, holding the Mets at bay. Young allowed 4 earned runs, pushing his ERA over 2.00.

With 2 outs in the 7th, Adrian Gonzalez's single was misplayed by Mets' right fielder Lastings Milledge, allowing Gonzalez to coast into second base. Cameron hammered a double to left center, driving in Gonzalez and positioning himself to score on Khalil Green's following single, pulling the Friars ahead by a run. Meredith kept the ball in the bottom of the 7th, holding the Mets again, this time with a fantastic play from Greene to rob Lastings Milledge of a base hit. Josh Bard then led off the 8th with a ground rule double to dead center. Terrmel Sledge following a pinch hit single, before Brian Giles' laser beam line drive was caught by Mets first basemen Carlos Delgado. Sledge was then thrown out trying to steal second on what appeared to be a busted hit-and-run with Blum at the plate. Blum then grounded out to first on the next pitch, stifling the Padres rally. Heath Bell came into the game in the bottom of the 8th, hitting 99 mph on the gun against his former team. Bell then gave up an RBI single to Beltran, yielding the tying run and Beltran's 5th RBI of the game.

Bradley showed his importance to the team by leading off the 9th with a hard single against New York closer Billy Wagner. A Cameron walk, followed by Greene being hit by a pitch, allowed a Kevin Kouzmanoff sacrifice fly to right field to put the Padres up by one leading into the bottom of the 9th. Trevor Hoffman entered the game and promptly allowed the tying run on an RBI single to the ageless Marlon Anderson. Hoffman then allowed a pair of of hits, not only blowing the save, but earning the loss.