Game Forty Three: Oh My, Oh My, Omir

The Guy Who Used To Be Josh Beckett gives up a first inning run. Boston answers back with two in the bottom half for a 2-1 lead off of Mike "Who?" Pelfrey.

Second first, same as the first? Not really. Given the lead, Beckett takes control, throwing 8 strong frames, handing off a 2-1 lead to the Lord of The Dance, Jonathan Papelbon.

No problem, right? Not really.

Papelbon walks Gary Sheffield.

Not a big problem.

Papelbon blows away David Wright and Jeremy Reed. No subtlety, no split fingers in the dirt, no variety-just pure, unvarying heat. Power against power. Ninth inning is the Lord's Day.

Then Omir Santos, catcher for the New York Mets, catcher for the New York Mets with ONE major league hit prior to 2009, catcher for the New York Mets with ONE MORE MAJOR LEAGUE HIT THAN I HAVE PRIOR TO THIS SEASON, homers over the Green Monster.

Not a majestic shot, by any means. A Bucky Dent special, in fact. One foot lower and it's a double. So questionable, in fact, that the umpire checks with the Newfangled Replay Guy in New York, but a home run it is. A half assed, wind aided, cheap Fenway homer, but a homer nonetheless. The Wall giveth, and the Wall taketh away.

So then we have a 3-2 Mets lead, and then we have a Series Of Unusual Events. (Not that) Ramon Martinez, not Pedro's brother but the other one, lines a vicious shot that Lowell somehow comes down with at third for the third out.

OK, so onto the bottom of the ninth, then.

Kevin Youkilis works a walk off of Emergency Backup Closer JJ Putz. (K Rod is, reportedly, out of the question due to his work yesterday.)

Jason Bay CRUSHES a ball, NAILS it, hits it on the SCREWS-but somehow David Wright at third knocks it down. He manages a weak, fluttery, off target throw to second base, where a corpse that used to be Luis Castillo makes a long, first baseman style stretch to just barely get the out.

OK.

JD Drew CRUSHES a ball to right, NAILS it, hits it on the SCREWS-right at right fielder Angel Pagan. Two out.

Sure, fine, no problem.

Mike Lowell CRUSHED a ball, NAILS it...and Ramon Martinez, who as recently as last night was the answer to the Michael Jackson joke due to his poor fielding, makes a diving stop, turns, and throws out Lowell to end the game.

So last night, the Mets can't catch a cold, and they win. Tonight, they get a wind aided butterfly fart of a home run followed by three ungodly plays in the field to steal a second win.

Life isn't fair.