Cardinals 6, Mets 5

Hey, I said I'd come back when they started playing like a major league team, not necessarily when they started winning. So the Mets got swept, but at least they put up a fight in this one. Starting pitching let the Mets down again as Steve Trachsel looked good for four innings before the hits started coming in bunches. And of course Scott Strickland proved ineffective in a clutch situation again, giving up the game winning home run in the tenth to Jim Edmonds. The Mets have played two extra inning games this year and today's 9 1/3 inning game is the longest their pitchers have gone.

The middle of the lineup (3-4-5) had another tough day today, going just 2 for 11, driving in one run and scoring another, but they did draw four walks. Mike Piazza still only has 5 RBI, but he has gotten his average up and is now hitting .297/.366/.486, which is quite an improvement over his stats from just a week ago. He's hit .538/.538/.769 over that period, although he only played in four games. But the bottom of the lineup came through in a big way, with Rey Sanchez returning to the lineup in a big way with a four hit game, scoring two runs. Roger Cedeno led off, but he feels more like a bottom-of-the-lineup hitter in spirit, and was in fact often batting with those guys on base. He collected two hits and a run, raising his average to a robust .218. And Joe McEwing, starting at second base in place of the slumping Roberto Alomar, had the big hit of the game, with a two run double that was inches away from being a game winning grand slam. In fact, "Super Joe" jumped in the air upon reaching first base, thinking the ball had gone over the wall.

In one encouraging development, Armando Benitez pitched two scoreless inning to maintain the tie. He got hit hard early in the eighth, but managed to work out of trouble and cruised through the ninth. The fact that he got six outs without registering a single strikeout is somewhat troubling, though.

The Met defense went error-free, although Cliff Floyd still can't move very well in left field, given the condition of his Achilles.

Tomorrow, the Mets start what should be an easier series, theading to Milwaukee to take on the hapless Brewers. Tom Glavine starts for the Mets, looking to rebound from his tough start on Sunday. The Brewers will send former Met Glendon Rusch tothe mound. Rusch is currently 1-4 with a 7.52 ERA.  ¶ joe | 11:22 PM |