-The Mets pen actually didn’t fall apart for once in a Johan Santana start holding a one-run lead the final two frames for a hard fought 4-3 series opening win over the Nationals last night in the nation’s capital. After giving up a leadoff single to Austin Kearns on his first pitch, reliever Joe Smith buckled down striking out the next former Met pair Lastings Milledge and Jesus Flores swinging around a Kearns steal. He then got Ronnie Belliard to ground out to second setting the stage for lefty Pedro Feliciano to record the final three outs. He retired the side in order fanning the last two for his first save of the season and third career.

It allowed Santana to pickup his 10th victory. He permitted a tying pinch hit Ryan Langerhans solo shot in the seventh but got support thanks to Damion Easley being plunked with the bases loaded and an out in the eighth forcing in the deciding tally. Trying for more, Jerry Manuel sent up pinch hitter Brian Schneider for his ace, who went the first seven on three runs, eight hits, two walks, six K’s and just 94 pitches. Schneider struck out to end it. Some might wonder why he didn’t just have Santana bat there as the catcher isn’t a great hitter. But Manuel played by the book and came out on top anyway thanks to Smith and Feliciano, who didn’t make it the seventh time a Santana lead was blown.

Instead, the Amazin’s win allowed them to get within a game of the first place Phillies, who fell in Los Angeles for a second consecutive time losing 4-3 on an Andre Ethier walkoff hit. The Phils blew a 3-1 lead and wasted second baseman Chase Utley’s 30th home run. Manny Ramirez drove in a run and Casey Blake a pair including the tying sac fly in the eighth.
Meanwhile, the Marlins also gained ground with a 4-3 home win over the Cards scoring all their runs in the first two innings including Hanley Ramirez’ three-run homer (26th) which held up as the difference. Kevin Gregg pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 26th save allowing Florida to remain half a game behind the Mets and a game and a half out of first.

-The Yanks got a much needed win last night in the Metro Dome 9-6 in 12 innings. They had led 4-3 on a Derek Jeter two out RBI base hit to center and increased to 6-3 on Bobby Abreu and Wilson Betemit RBI’s. But when struggling lefty Damaso Marte put a couple of runners on in the eighth, Joe Girardi called on Mariano Rivera to get a five out save. But he wasn’t up to the task serving up a tying three-run Delmon Young dinger off the foul pole to blow his first save in 29 chances. Rivera tossed a scoreless ninth and then Jose Veras came on for two perfect innings and a pair of K’s setting up the 12th. All season, Alex Rodriguez has struggled money situations but this time delivered a huge solo blast to dead center off Matt Guerrier putting his club ahead. Xavier Nady, who already drove in two on a double then added his sixth home run as a Yankee connecting for a two-run shot to give them some insurance. The former Pirate is batting .344 with six HR and 17 RBI’s in 17 games since they acquired him.
Edwar Ramirez closed it out for his first save.

The win snapped a four-game skid and allowed the Yanks to gain a game on first place Tampa Bay, who lost to Oakland 2-1. The problem is they still trail by eight and are five behind the Red Sox for the wild card after they won a wacky slugfest 19-17 over the Rangers at Fenway. The first inning saw Boston score 10 runs including two three-run homers by David Ortiz (both to right). However, they couldn’t hold leads of 10-0 and 14-2 allowing the Rangers to come all the way back due to eight in the fifth and five in the sixth highlighted by an Ian Kinsler three-run shot along with a barrage of hits and sac flies. Despite Marlon Byrd’s five hits and three knocked in, the Red Sox got the last laugh as Kevin Youkilis slugged his second long ball of the night- a three-run job in a four-run eighth to give the home club a football like 19-16 lead. Brandon Boggs’ pinch hit made it interesting giving the Rangers two shots to tie the game but Jonathan Papelbon got the final two batters for save No.32 to finally end a game which featured a combined 36 runs on 37 hits and four errors. Somehow, it took less than four hours to play.

Terry Francona would later remark:

“At some point, you’re thinking about going for a field goal.”

Texas skipper Ron Washington on his team’s resolve though they ultimately came up short:

“After that first inning when they had us down 10-0, I think everybody in the ballpark and everybody in all of Massachusetts thought that the game was over.”

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the last time a team rallied from 10 runs down to win was on May 8, 2004 by those Rangers, who turned the trick in a 16-15 10 inning win.

Simply amazing.