First Oliver Perez lost his
control, then the New York Mets lost their grip on first place
in the National League East.

Perez tied a major league record by hitting three batters in an
inning, allowed a two-run homer to Jeremy Hermida and a two-run
single to Miguel Cabrera, as the Florida Marlins defeated the
Mets, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game series.

The Mets (87-73) have lost five straight and 11 of 15 to fall
into second place in the NL East, one game behind the
Philadelphia Phillies (88-72). Philadelphia defeated the
Washington Nationals, 6-0, on Friday night. Both the Mets and
Phillies have two games remaining.

New York, which led the division by seven games on September 12,
had been in first place every day since May 15 and moved one
step closer to one of the more monumental collapses in baseball
history.

No team in history has failed to win the pennant when holding at
least a seven-game lead with 17 games to play.

Byung-Hyun Kim (10-8) pitched five-plus effective innings and
Matt Treanor also homered for the Marlins, who won their fourth
straight game and continued to excel in the role of spoiler.

Florida defeated New York after sweeping the Central
Division-leading Chicago Cubs earlier this week.

The struggling Mets’ staff received a strong seven-inning effort
from Pedro Martinez against St. Louis on Thursday, and
desperately needed the same from Perez (15-10) on Friday. The
often erratic lefthander was never in control, allowing six
runs, six hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.

The Mets have had a starter last more than five innings just
three times in their last 13 games.

Carlos Beltran hit a mammoth two-run homer, but the Mets failed
several times in clutch situations and had their troubles
defensively as a mental mistake by third baseman David Wright
contributed to Florida’s two-run third.

Kim (10-8) allowed four runs - three earned - and eight hits in
five innings. The righthander threw two pitches in the sixth
before leaving with a blister.

Three relievers followed, including Matt Lindstrom, who struck
out Beltran and Alou with runners on first and third to end the
seventh.

Kevin Gregg then worked around a leadoff single in the ninth to
record his 32nd save in 36 chances.

Hermida hit a 420-foot home run to right field in the first to
score Dan Uggla, who had walked.

Perez tied the record held by many pitchers when he hit three
batters in a two-run third for Florida. The Marlins loaded the
bases when Kim singled, Hanley Ramirez doubled and Dan Uggla was
hit by a pitch.

Hermida hit a slow grounder to third that Wright threw home for
the force out. Catcher Paul Lo Duca threw back to Wright, who
attempted to tag Ramirez when all he had to do was step on third
for the force. One out later, Perez plunked Cody Ross and Mike
Jacobs in succession to give Florida a 4-1 lead.

Beltran hit two-run homer in the third off the scoreboard in
right-center field to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Cabrera grounded a two-run single off the glove of diving a Jose
Reyes shortstop in the fourth to give the Marlins a 6-3 lead
and finish the night for Perez.

Treanor homered off Orlando Hernandez in the fifth to make it
7-3.

An error by left fielder Ross allowed the first Mets’ run to
score in the second and Wright drove in a run with a groundout
in the fifth. Wright singled in the first to extend his hitting
streak to 15 games.

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The Mets are quite sure that they never insulted the Phillies this season, never spoke indiscreetly about them or offended them in any way. And they hardly handled them on the field. Yet the Phillies have played much of this season as if they were intent on payback. And now they’ve gotten even.
On Thursday, the Mets and Phillies are equals — at least in record and standing. To the absolute horror of the Mets, who have lived alone atop the standings of the National League East since mid-May, they now have a co-tenant — unwanted and perhaps unstoppable — a markedly diminished chance of winning a second straight division championship and a compromised chance of playing in baseball’s Octoberfest.
What had been unfathomable two weeks ago now is a distinct possibility, because the Phillies defeated the Braves, 6-4, and the Mets lost to the Cardinals, 3-0, on Thursday night. Suffering their 10th loss in 14 games, the Mets squandered the final vestiges of what had been a seven-game lead and, in the process, took a seventh straight loss at Shea Stadium.
With Joel Pineiro reprising the role that Jeff Suppan played in the Mets’ NL Championship Series ouster in 2006, the Cardinals dealt the Mets the most damaging of their 72 losses this season and helped set up a photo finish in the division race and, perhaps, in the NL Wild Card chase, as well.
In town to play one makeup game and not pleased to be here, the Cardinals outplayed the Mets — as they did four times last October — beat Pedro Martinez and left their victims for dead. The Mets denied that characterization as they swiftly fled the clubhouse afterwards. They didn’t deny the peril of their circumstance-turned predicament, though. Their collapse has been too dramatic to allow that. Instead, they tried to move beyond it.
Minutes after Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen secured the victory for Pineiro, manager Willie Randolph briefly addressed his players. And his message was simple, forward-looking and positive: “Now we start over. It’s a new season. We start from scratch.”
Wright reiterated that the Mets still control their own destiny, but those words didn’t seem to fit the occasion. They haven’t handled that assignment well as of late. And now they have three days to bounce back — if they’re done falling.
The Mets play three home games against the last-place Marlins, beginning on Friday night. The Nationals, the team most responsible — other than the Mets’ bullpen — for the fix that the Mets find themselves in, are the Phillies’ final regular-season opponent. But the Mets seem to face more adversity. The Phillies are trying to win, and the Mets are trying to avoid an epic collapse, trying not to be consumed by what they have endured to this point.

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The Associated Press

David Wright singled home the decisive run in the 11th inning, two shaky relievers finally protected the lead, and the New York Mets took a big step toward the playoffs by beating the Florida Marlins 7-6 on Sunday.

Jose Reyes started the winning rally with a walk and the NL East leaders moved 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Philadelphia, which lost 5-3 at Washington.

The Mets now return home for their last seven games of the regular season, with a magic number of five for clinching their second consecutive division title.

Carlos Delgado ’s three-run homer highlighted a four-run eighth that gave New York a 6-3 lead, but Florida rallied against Aaron Heilman and closer Billy Wagner to force extra innings.

Dan Uggla ’s long leadoff homer against Wagner in the ninth tied it at 6, the latest late-season flop for New York’s overworked and ineffective bullpen.

But the Mets regrouped. Reyes drew a leadoff walk in the 11th from Harvey Garcia (0-1) and went to second on Luis Castillo ’s single before scoring on Wright’s single to center.

New York failed to tack on, though, and still needed three outs from its middle relievers to close it out.

Aaron Sele and Scott Schoeneweis came through. Sele got the first two outs and Schoeneweis earned his second save. Each entered with an ERA above 5.00, but they needed only five pitches to combine for a perfect 11th in a game that lasted 3 hours, 59 minutes.

Moises Alou extended his hitting streak to a club-record 27 games and threw out Todd Linden at the plate to preserve a 6-5 lead in the eighth.

The teams combined to use 16 pitchers - nine by the Mets and seven for Florida. Joe Smith (3-1) threw a scoreless 10th for the win.

Jeremy Hermida had three hits and two RBIs for the Marlins, who lost three of four in the series.

There was plenty of drama in the eighth, which started with the scoreboard flashing that the Phillies were beaten by the Nationals - to the delight of many in the pro-Mets crowd at Dolphin Stadium.

Alou and Delgado gave them more to cheer.

Wright opened the eighth with a walk off reliever Justin Miller , who allowed each of the first four batters he faced to score. Alou drove in Wright with a single - giving him the longest hitting streak in the majors this year - and Delgado followed with his 24th home run for a 6-3 lead.

Florida wasn’t done, though, and made things interesting against Heilman, who walked Miguel Cabrera and Mike Jacobs to open the eighth.

Linden’s second hit brought Cabrera home to cut the margin to 6-4, and Jason Wood singled two batters later. Jacobs scored easily on the play and third-base coach Bo Porter waved Linden around, but Alou threw out Linden to preserve the lead.

Heilman escaped when Hanley Ramirez lined out to Wright with two runners on, and it was still 6-5 when Wagner - who had pitched only once since Sept. 14 because of back spasms - was summoned in the ninth to protect the one-run lead.

It didn’t last one batter. Uggla hit his 31st of the year to tie the game and give Wagner his fifth blown save in 39 chances.

Florida opened the scoring in the third on Hermida’s two-run single. The Mets tied it a half-inning later on Paul Lo Duca ’s two-run homer.

Florida went up 3-2 in the sixth on Linden’s RBI single, but the inning could have been worse for the Mets. Center fielder Carlos Beltran - who bruised his knee Friday - caught Alejandro De Aza ’s drive for the third out as he hit the wall in left-center.

Beltran departed an inning later.

Mets starter John Maine gave up three earned runs in five-plus innings, matching a career best with nine strikeouts.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/recaps/2007/09/23/16892_recap.html

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From The Associated Press

Chad Pennington stepped into the end zone, spiked the football and then pumped his fist and bumped chests with some teammates.

A week after watching from the sideline, the New York Jets quarterback let out all his emotions as he accounted for his third touchdown in Sunday’s 31-28 victory over the Miami Dolphins .

Pennington showed his injured right ankle was feeling a lot better by throwing two touchdown passes and running for another.

Pennington was injured in the opener against New England, and backup Kellen Clemens started in his place last Sunday at Baltimore. Clemens had an impressive fourth quarter that left some fans hoping he would see more action soon.

Pennington showed this is still his team, going 15-of-22 for 124 yards and moving the offense efficiently.

Leon Washington returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Thomas Jones had his first big game for the Jets (1-2) by rushing for 110 yards on 25 carries.

Ronnie Brown scored on a 22-yard pass from Trent Green with 1:15 left to pull the Dolphins within three points. After Baker was called for batting the ball forward out of bounds on an onside kick attempt to give Miami another opportunity, Eric Smith recovered the ensuing kick to seal the win for the Jets.

Brown had 112 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and added six catches for 99 yards and a TD for the Dolphins (0-3).

Pennington threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Laveranues Coles , a 4-yarder to Baker and also ran the ball 2 yards in with 12:51 left - his first rush for a touchdown since 2004.

Baker was far from impressed by Pennington’s celebration.

Cam Cameron is off to the worst start for a first-year Miami coach since George Wilson dropped his opening five games with the AFL expansion team in 1966.

Miami got within 10 with 8:56 left when Brown scored on a 2-yard run and then converted a 2-point conversion on a sequence reminiscent of Boise State’s Statue of Liberty play in the Fiesta Bowl. Green faked a throw and Brown took the ball from behind the quarterback’s back.

The Jets took their first lead of the season late in the first quarter when Pennington hit Coles for a 3-yard touchdown pass in the left corner of the end zone.

Brown tied it at 7 on a 1-yard touchdown run, his first of the season, early in the second quarter. That came two plays after Erik Coleman was called for pass interference on Green’s throw into the end zone to defensive end Jason Taylor , who lined up at tight end.

The Jets came right back when Washington, filling in for injured Pro Bowl returner Justin Miller , took the ball at the 2, found a lane on the left side of the field, brushed off a tackle attempt by kicker Jay Feely and took off down the sideline untouched into the end zone.

After Feely kicked field goals of 31 and 39 yards before the half to make it 14-13, Pennington found Baker in the back of the end zone for a touchdown with 2 seconds left.

Green finished 22-of-36 for 318 yards and one touchdown and an interception for Miami.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/scoreboards/2007/09/23/2549_viewcast_recap.html

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From The Associated Press

A playoff berth all but clinched, Mike Mussina pitched the New York Yankees within 1 1/2 games of Boston in the AL East with a week to go.

Mussina won his 250th game, backup catcher Jose Molina had three hits, three RBIs and a key tag play and Joba Chamberlain got his first career save as the Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 on Sunday.

New York overcame a 3-0 deficit and reached 90 wins for the seventh straight season, the third-longest streak in major league history behind the 1947-58 Yankees and 1904-12 Chicago Cubs , according to the Elias Sports Bureau,

The Yankees (90-65) won for the 14th time in 17 games and moved within one of the Red Sox (92-64) in the loss column. New York remained 5 1/2 games ahead Detroit in the wild-card race and lowered its magic number to two for clinching a 13th straight postseason appearance.

Melky Cabrera threw out a runner at the plate for the second straight day, raising his assists total for the season to 16 - including a major league-leading 14 as a center fielder. Replays were inconclusive on whether Molina tagged Gregg Zaun on the helmet or missed the sliding runner, and Toronto manager John Gibbons argued the call by plate umpire Derryl Cousins.

Cabrera’s fourth-inning throw kept the score 3-3, and the Yankees broke through for three runs in the fifth off Dustin McGowan (11-10) on RBI singles from Robinson Cano , Doug Mientkiewicz and Molina.

Molina, starting after Jorge Posada caught consecutive extra-inning games, also drove in the Yankees’ first run and added an RBI double in the seventh off Josh Banks that made it 7-5.

Matt Stairs hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Luis Vizcaino - a drive into the center-field bleachers. After Aaron Hill singled and Gregg Zaun walked - and with the sellout crowd of 54,983 chanting ”We Want Joba!” the Yankees brought in the rookie sensation.

Pitching with one day of rest after throwing two innings and 30 pitches Friday night, Chamberlain struck out Adam Lind on a slider in the dirt. He then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth - striking out two - for his first career save.

Mussina (11-10) won his third consecutive start since he rejoined the Yankees’ rotation, allowing three runs and seven hits in seven innings and improving to 23-11 against Toronto.

He had thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings before Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the second by bunching four hits. Lind hit a two-run double and scored on Curtis Thigpen ’s single.

New York tied the score in the bottom half on run-scoring singles by Molina, Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter .

McGowan had control problems: He walked six in 4 1-3 innings, and four of the batters who walked wounding up scoring. He gave up six runs and six hits.

McGowan dropped to 3-2 in September, with both losses to the Yankees and Mussina.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/recaps/2007/09/23/17527_recap.html

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