Braves 13, Mets 3

We may have a problem. Victor Zambrano will miss the rest of the season due to a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow, leaving the Mets with just three major league starting pitchers who aren't Jose Lima. And Lima is only a "major league starting pitcher" by the most literal interpretation of that phrase. The Mets are set up fine for their next series, but after that, they're going to need to find some pitchers.

Unfortunately, Lima will probably get another start. Today he lasted five innings and gave up five runs on seven hits and four walks. He did somehow strike out five batters. And their were some extenuating circumstances, such as terrible umpiring and his catcher acting like an idiot. Nevertheless, it was not a good performance by the Mets' fourth starter.

Things could have gone a little better for Lima but for a ridiculous second inning. After allowing a leadoff hit, he got Brian Jordan to hit into a double play. But that DP was nullified by an extremely questionable balk call. He struck out Jordan, but gave up a hit to the next batter, putting runners on first and third. It was at this point that things went from bad to weird.

On the first pitch to the next batter, John Smoltz, Brian McCann charged home from third as if a squeeze play were being executed. Except that Smoltz didn't bunt. He swung and grounded the ball weakly in front of the plate where it was fielded by Paul Lo Duca. Lo Duca appeared to tag McCann, but it was hard to tell for sure from any angle shown on TV, and in any event McCann was called safe at home. So Lo Duca, with all the class and leadership he could muster, jumped up in the air, spiked the ball into the ground and let it roll away as he argued with home plate umpire and Braves fan Angel Hernandez. While Lo Duca was arguing and ignoring the live ball, a runner advanced from second to third. This was succinctly recorded in the box score as an error. Lo Duca was then ejected, which presumably signaled the end of the play, as a result of which Smoltz was not allowed to advance to second. Bobby Cox came out to argue this and was himself ejected.

Lima retired the next batter but gave up a single to Edgar Renteria, allowing Ryan Langerhans to score from third base, where Lo Duca had so graciously let him advance. One walk later, Lima finally recorded the "third" out.

This game didn't get entirely out of hand until Lima was relieved by Bartolome Fortunato. As if determined to continue pouring salt into the wound of the Scott Kazmir trade in Zambrano's absence, Fortunate allowed six hits and two walks in one and one-third innings. All eight of these runners wound up scoring. After that, things calmed down a bit.

As for the Mets' offense, well, they didn't have as much luck as the Braves with Hernandez's amazing traveling strike zone, which sometimes takes up residence as many as six inches from the edge of home plate. Carlos Beltran did homer for the third straight game and also hit a single. David Wright hit a double. And a Kazuo Matsui single accounted for the only other New York hit.

Next up for the Mets (21-10) is their first series of the season against the second place Phillies (17-14). The serious portion of the Mets rotation is in place to pitch all three games of this series, with Pedro Martinez (5-0, 2.72) starting game one. Brett Myers (2-1, 3.11) will go for the Phillies. The Phillies have won eight games in a row to close within four games of the Mets. But they didn't face any pitcher during that stretch the caliber of Pedro or Tom Glavine. I think it's time the division leaders remind them who's boss.  ¶ joe | 11:04 PM |