Phillies 5 Mets 3

So the Mets had a brief 6-game homestand against their two closest rivals (this season) and went 4-2. Not bad. The Jeremi Gonzalez era is over. Gonzalez and Lima each had three starts and the Mets went 1-5 in those 6 games.

Gonzalez got off to a terrible start, very similar to what Soler did. In the first inning of Gonzalez' last two starts he allowed 7 runs. Abreu and Howard obviously touched him for home runs, but he settled down and pitched ok after that.

Jose Reyes hit a huge 3-run homer to get the Mets back in the game. But every time he homers, I get a little worried.

Pedro Feliciano is starting to show some cracks. He allowed the inherited runner to score on Saturday (although I know that game was completely Wagner's fault) and he gave up the home run to Burrell yesterday.

Chase Utley is awesome.

Kaz Matsui is back to being awful again. In the second inning he got up with runners on first and third and none out. Myers started him off with two balls, and you thought maybe the Mets were gonna get to him. He then struck out Matsui on a pitch in the dirt. In the 8th with first and second and two outs he tapped out to the pitcher. He's batting .143 this season with runners in scoring position. He did however make a great play to turn two in a big spot in the 7th inning.

Mike and the Mad Dog did a pretty good job. Mad Dog did most of the play-by-play and did pretty well on those two early home run calls. They didn't openly root against the Mets. Mike was providing good color but still in his pompous fashion. As commentators they were a little more harsh and a little more absolute than most broadcasters. For instance, on the double play turned by Matsui, he said it saved the game. Probably accurate but Howie Rose probably would have said it prevented a big inning, or more runs from scoring. They were trying to broadcast the game as Mike and the Mad Dog so there was more commentary and general discussion than there normally would be, including as aside into the Yankees-red Sox series. They talked a lot, which is typical for them, but also a sign of inexperience. They were overdescriptive in some spots, (checking the signs, the delivery, the pitch...) but overall they were better than I expected. There were a few blips, Mike said first place instead of first base on a close play at the bag, Mad Dog called Scott Podsednik Puzdenik during the scoreboard, but it was an enjoyable broadcast.