You know summer’s dog days have officially arrived when your All-Star closer answers to “Rusty” and appears ready to chase balls in the outfield.
And that’s after your starting second baseman sprains a left ankle while returning to the dugout because he’s trying to avoid a glove on the steps. What else can go wrong for the Mets? For the good of humanity, M-E-T-S: Must End the Season.
VACCARO: METS CAN’T GET ANY WORSE
“It’s just one of those crazy seasons where things don’t go the way you want it to,” Johan Santana said after a 12-7 loss to the Cardinals in 10 innings at Citi Field.
Albert Pujols’ grand slam in the 10th inning off Sean Green was the final nail in the coffin, but that was after the right-hander had already plunked Mark DeRosa with the bases loaded to force home the go-ahead run.
The more troubling aspect of the loss was the fact Francisco Rodriguez, who had made only one appearance in a save situation over the previous three weeks, blew it by allowing two runs in the ninth.
The reeling Mets lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell nine games behind Colorado in the wild-card chase. Adding to the misery, Luis Castillo’s misstep in the dugout following his seventh-inning at-bat forced him to leave with a sprained left ankle, further depleting an already thin lineup.
Handed a 7-5 lead in the ninth, Rodriguez promptly imploded, blowing his fourth save in 28 chances. Before the game, manager Jerry Manuel mentioned the challenge he was facing in trying to keep Rodriguez sharp, given the Mets’ recent lack of save opportunities.
But Rodriguez refused to use being rusty as an excuse.
“It was a real poor outing that I did today,” said Rodriguez, who blew his first save since July 2 in Pittsburgh. “It was real embarrassing out there. I never was able to make pitches when I needed to.”
Rodriguez surrendered a double to Rick Ankiel leading off the ninth before Julio Lugo doubled him home to bring the Cardinals within one. After pinch-hitter Colby Rasmus struck out, Skip Schumaker tied the game with an RBI single. Rodriguez needed 41 pitches to escape the inning and left the bases loaded.
“I’ve got to find a way to pitch better, stay sharp one way or the other,” Rodriguez said.
Brian Stokes got a quick out in the 10th inning, prompting Manuel to summon Pedro Feliciano (4-4). The lefty loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before striking out Schumaker. Green then drilled DeRosa to put the Cardinals ahead 8-7. Pujols’ grand slam, his second homer of the game and fifth grand slam of the season — giving him a major-league leading 36 this season — blew it open.
“I tried to go with a slider to the dirt,” Green said. “It didn’t make it to the dirt.”