A valiant Mets comeback in the ninth inning was thwarted Tuesday night, and all the fun and novelty of a three-game series in Puerto Rico is quickly wearing off for them.
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The Florida Marlins beat the Mets, 7-6, when Dan Uggla singled home Jorge Cantu with two outs in the ninth at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, which continued to thump and sway to the rhythmic beat of Caribbean baseball.
Trailing by 6-3, the Mets scored once in the seventh and twice in the ninth to tie the score in the second game of the series.
In the bottom of the ninth, the left-hander Pedro Feliciano struck out the first two batters before Cantu stroked a double to right-center field. First base was empty for the right-handed-hitting Uggla, but the Mets pitched to him. Uggla singled up the middle, and when Cantu scored with a headfirst slide, the Marlins poured out of the dugout to celebrate with him.
The Mets had been playing better away from Citi Field lately, entering this series having won seven of nine on their last road trip. But including Monday’s 10-3 loss, they have lost four straight away from home, and their road record has fallen to 15-22.
The Marlins are taking to their new surroundings much better than the Mets are. San Juan also proved the perfect setting to announce that Edwin Rodriguez, who became the first Puerto Rican manager in the major leagues when he was promoted from Class AAA New Orleans on June 23, would remain in his job for the rest of the season.
“Before the game started, I met with our manager, Edwin, and I told him he would be our manager until the end of the year, when we’ll re-evaluate things,” the Marlins’ owner, Jeffrey Loria, told reporters.
The news was not as good for Mets Manager Jerry Manuel, who watched with a pained expression as Hisanori Takahashi handed back the 3-0 lead the Mets had built in the first three innings.
Pitching on a cooler and far less humid evening than the night before, Takahashi allowed six earned runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out four in five and two-thirds innings. He started rather impressively, setting down the first eight batters he faced with impeccable control.
But he suddenly lost that control with two outs in the third inning. He allowed Marlins starter Nate Robertson to single before walking Chris Coghlan and giving up a ground single to Gaby Sanchez.
Then, with catcher Rod Barajas setting up on the inside of the plate, Takahashi threw a high fastball out over the plate, and Hanley Ramirez promptly delivered it to the fans in the left-field bleachers. Takahashi appeared to lose his concentration, giving up a double to Cantu and a home run to Uggla.
He then walked Cody Ross before Ronny Paulino hit a ground ball to end the inning. But instead of removing Takahashi, who threw 110 pitches in all, Manuel left him in the game, effectively making him his own mop-up man.
This was the second consecutive game in which Takahashi allowed six runs in fewer than six innings, but when evaluating his performances the Mets must also include his terrific starts against the Yankees, Phillies and Orioles.
Before the game, General Manager Omar Minaya said Takahashi was not auditioning for his spot in the rotation, despite his recent struggles, but he sounded less convincing than he had on recent occasions when he made similar statements.
“I don’t think it has to be a situation where guys go out there and have to feel they are being evaluated,” Minaya said. “I think it’s fair to say that we’ve seen enough quality. We believe in giving these guys an opportunity. How much that opportunity is, we don’t know. But it’s not one of those things where if he doesn’t pitch well on a specific day, we’re going to make changes. You have to let these guys pitch.”
Manuel certainly did that. He let Takahashi pitch and pitch some more. But the Mets got him off the hook for the loss in the ninth inning, with Josh Thole knocking in the tying run with a single up the middle.
INSIDE PITCH
Oliver Perez will begin his minor league rehabilitation assignment Wednesday for Class A St. Lucie. Perez was placed on the disabled list with patella tendinitis in his right knee on June 5. A minor league rehabilitation assignment lasts 30 days for pitchers, after which the Mets will either have to bring him back onto the major league roster, or make another transaction with him, assuming he will not accept a demotion to the minors. ... Angel Pagan returned to the lineup after missing four games with muscle spasms in his side.
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