Finally, a Flag of Victory for Johan Santana

Check this out, the Mets finally scored some runs for John Santana.

The team needed its ace to step up and end a four-game losing streak. And while Santana was not as dominant as he has been in the past, he had enough to limit the Diamondbacks to three runs.

The Mets did not score a single run while Santana was on the mound in four of his games, so three runs usually seem insurmountable. But the Mets had big hits from Nick Nickeas and Andres Torres – yeah, I know! – to drive in four runs on Arizona rookie starter Patrick Corbin.

Daniel Murphy had a four-hit game, and David Wright was presented a trophy from Darryl Strawberry for taking Straw’s franchise RBI record.

So, for the first time in what seems like a week, the Flag of Victory flies proudly!

Mets an unfocused mess heading out of Texas

The Mets are scrambling the heck out of Houston while they still have a shred of dignity. 

Yes, the Good Guys just got swept by one of the worst teams in baseball, losing 8-1 today.

Chris Schwinden seems Buffalo bound after two rough starts. 

And while I’ll always be grateful to Manny Acosta for tossing Caroline and I the game ball in Detroit last year, it seems like that was the last thing he threw that wasn’t ripped for a line drive.

OK, it’s not that bad. But it sure as heck wasn’t good. David Wright and Ruben Tejada continued to hit well, but they didn’t have a lot of company. 

And, unlike the Tigers, no one got arrested for dropping drunken hate speech on the locals. That's something to build on, I guess.

Meanwhile, the Gnome of Defeat seems to be hanging around. This sort of accidental shot looks like how the Mets must feel as they head to Arizona – dazed and unfocused.

Even statues stunned by second straight loss to Astros

How shocking is it that the Mets have lost two straight games to the Astros? Even these statues palling around with the Gnome of Defeat look stunned.

The Astros, who are supposed to stink up the National League before they defect to the American League, piled up five runs on Jonathon Niese and chased him after three innings. Houston won 6-3.

The Mets bullpen, was actually a little better than usual, allowing one run over the final six innings.

David Wright was the only Mets hitter to get more than a hit – he’s batting .395 – though Justin Turner went 1 for 3 with a couple runs scored and a stolen base.

Maybe the Mets can blame the “flu-like symptoms” that seem to be sweeping through the clubhouse for the malaise, but their hopes of avoiding betting swept out of Minute Maid Park are in the hands of Chris Schwinden and his 11.25 ERA.

Mets can't come baclk one more time, fall to Astros

Epic tease by the Mets on Monday. 

RA Dickey held the Astros hitless for five innings, then gave up three runs in the sixth inning.

But our mostly homegrown Mets know how to battle back, scratching out three runs of their own. Kudos to Kirk Nieuwenhuis, again, for getting the big hit.

Kirk also had his first game in left field after Andres Torrres saw game action for the first time since he gimped out of Opening Day.

Sadly, the Mets re-designed bullpen is still giving away games. Manny Acosta made it through one inning, but couldn’t get through the eighth. He wasn’t helped by Josh Thole bobbling a ball instead of shooting a laser down to second to nail Jordan Schafer.

Instead, Schafer trotted home on a Jed Lowrie single and the Mets, masters of the comeback in Colorado, were left on short side of the score in Houston.

Interesting was Astros manager Brad Mills using a different pitcher for seven Mets batters in a row. Somewhere in retirement, Tony LaRussa is smiling.

The defeat means that the Gnome of Defeat comes out of hiding and taunts us from the Murray Van Wagoner Transportation Building in Lansing.

Mets survive multiple bullpen meltdowns, take two of three from Rockies

Sometimes you have to love the Mets a whole bunch to avoid hating them. 

Ace Johan Santana nursed a two-hitter through six innings, when he was removed after throwing just under 100 pitches as the teams goes easy with his surgically repaired shoulder. 

Santana must have done a double-take as he saw the scoreboard, as the Mets never score any runs for him, and he was leaving with a 4-0 lead.

Sadly, the team again employed death by bullpen, giving back the lead with a Todd Helton pinch-hit grand slam.

The Mets scored again in the top of the ninth, and again the bully gave it right back. 

Amazingly, the resilient Mets offense again pushed a run over in the top of the 10^th on an Ike Davis hit, which must have felt good for the slumping slugger.

This time, the lead held. Frank Francisco gets a “vulture win,” and anytime we can take a series on the road, it’s a good thing.

The win means Caroline gets to show off the new Mobile Flag of Victory, which is needed because you never know when the world will need to be informed of a Mets triumph!

Mets bounce back from disastrous night, beat Rockies 7-5

I’m not saying Ruben Tejada is better than the departed Jose Reyes.

Sure, Jose is slumping with his new team and looking at losing his leadoff spot. But we know he bounces back.

But Tejada is not stinking up the joint. He went 3-for-5 in the Mets 7-5 victory over the Rockies, keeping his average around .300. Nobody is going to complain if he stays there.

Lucas Duda had a pretty big night, too, depositing a two-run bomb into the Mets bullpen while going 2-for-4 with 4 runs batted in.

But David Wright continues to pad his franchise RBI record, adding two to his total with three hits, helping his .385 batting average.

All in all, it was a nice bounce-back win after the Friday night disaster, and a good reason to hoist the Flag of Victory.