Astros DisPENCE Mets, 4-3

Johan Santana was good today, but a late home run by new Met-Killer Hunter Pence and the Mets lost the game, 4-3.

Game Notes

Johan Santana was great tonight, going the full eight innings, giving up four runs on nine hits with one walk and seven k’s. That stat line doesn’t tell the whole story for Johan, as four of those hits were given up in the first inning. After the first inning, Johan settled in and was working the plate, had great control and was effective.

No K-Rod, no need. The only partially good news today is that his contract has been withheld due to his placement on the Disqualified List after injuring his thumb in the fight last Wednesday. That is saving the Mets roughly THREE MILLION just this year.

The Mets offense existed in sputters today, after scoring an RBI on a Fernando Martinez single in the first, a Jose Reyes groundout in the second, and then David Wright’s 18th HR of the season, and FIRST RBI of August.

Ike Davis, 0-3 with a walk.

Jose Reyes, 2-4 with a walk, a stolen base, a run and an RBI. Great game Jose.

Overall, on a down note the Mets need to start stringing hits together when it matters, have a better pitch selection in KEY situations and really make pitchers work. When the situation is no-outs, early innings it seems they possess great discipline, but Angel Pagan swung at a bad pitch 0-2 in the ninth, Chris Carter swung at the first pitch he saw with one out in the ninth, and Jose Reyes was guessing fastball twice, and got two change-ups, and then hit a weak fly to left.

Turning Point

When Johan Santana threw the 3-2 slider to Hunter Pence. Realistically, instead of throwing your third best pitch, you should walk a guy who took you deep already.

Game Ball

Johan Santana. If there was a ninth inning, he may have pitched it. This was such a deceptive outing, because take away two hits, and he allows 0 runs, or walk a batter and face the anemic Carlos Lee.

On Deck

The Mets will send R.A. Dickey to the mound off his one-hit gem to face up against the Astros Brett Myers and hopefully win an important road series. Game Time is 8:10 P.M.