Bullpenalized

I didn't take any pictures at the game,
so here is a photograph from my walk to work, earlier in the day.

A young guy sitting in front of Doug and me at last night's game between the Phillies and the Mets made several comments that were quote-worthy for their prescience.

Early in the game he exclaimed, "This is why I don't come see the Mets play. When I do, they lose." In actuality, the second inning home run by former Mets third baseman Ty Wigginton only tied the game, 1-1.

Nonetheless, after 3:13 of baseball on this muggy May evening, the facts were irrefutable: He had attended the game and the Mets had lost.

Later, during the seventh inning stretch, he sang, "You gotta root, root, root for the home team, If they don't win, it's the bullpen."  Moments before, "Chooch" (Carlos Ruiz) launched an effortless, pinch hit, two-run homer to tie the game at three apiece, the only batter Mets reliever Bobby Parnell would face.

The altered lyrics were not just a report on recent events, however, but a prediction of things to come.  In the eighth, singles by Juan Pierre and Hunter Pence set up Shane Victorino's sac fly RBI, giving the Phillies the lead.  For that performance, Jon Rauch would take the loss.

The Mets did nothing in their half of the inning.  Then, Tim Byrdak, Ramon Ramirez and Chris Schwinden combined to give up six runs on a walk and five hits, including a three-run shot by Jimmy Rollins.  Rollins was 3-for-5 on the night, with a stolen base.

The home team didn't fold, scoring three times in their last frame.  Lucas Duda got it started with his second home run of the night, one of five hits to clear the wall.  But a seven-run deficit was too much to overcome and the Mets—or more specifically, their bullpen—lost the game, 10-6.
Box Score