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Tatis lifts Mets in 12th inning

May 29, 2008 - 4:10 AM By Zachary Braziller PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The team that forgot how to get up off the mat finally delivered a counterpunch. Twice.

Down to their final three outs on two occasions, the New York Mets rallied for a dramatic 12th-inning, 7-6 win at Shea Stadium on Fernando Tatis' walk-off, two-run double.

Tatis' line shot to left field plate David Wright and Carlos Beltran, pinning the loss on reliever Justin Miller (1-2).

"It's a great feeling; it's unbelievable," he said. "We needed this game."

Endy Chavez had sent the game into extra innings when he hit his first homer of the season, a pinch-hit blast to lead off the ninth off Marlins closer Kevin Gregg.

Wright started the rally in the 12th by drawing a four-pitch walk and Beltran singled him to third. After Damion Easley struck out, Tatis turned on a hanging breaking ball, rifling it down the left field line.

"I got a good feeling about this team," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "Hopefully good things start to happen now. Players, they can sense that this was a big game for us. They can feel the way everyone fought back."

Alfredo Amezega's first homer of the season off Duaner Sanchez had given Florida a 6-5 lead in the 12th. Marlins left fielder Cody Ross homered twice in consecutive innings, the ninth round-tripper he's smacked in his last 11 hits, and catcher Mike Rabelo added his second of the year.

The Mets, who hadn't come from behind when trailing after eight innings all year, moved to within 4 1/2 games of the National League East-leading Marlins.

"It's a great start because the atmosphere over here is changing," Chavez said. "It's more positive. I know we got a pretty good talent down here. We just have to work hard and show it on the field."

New York starter Oliver Perez only lasted four innings, allowing five runs on only four hits. He struck out seven and walked four.

In relief of Perez, the Mets' bullpen was near flawless. Scott Schoeneweis, Aaron Heilman, Billy Wagner and Duaner Sanchez didn't allow a base runner in 5 2/3 splendid innings, striking out nine Marlins.

Heilman worked two shutout innings for the second time in three nights, but with two outs in the 12th Sanchez grooved a fastball to Amezega, who rifled it over the wall down the right field line two pitches after he was knocked down.

Yet Sanchez (1-0) still earned his first win of the year thanks to Tatis's heroics.

"It was an upbeat dugout. We kept pushing each other," Randolph said. "Guys had some good at-bats at the right time. We just want to feed off this. I think we're ready to bust out. Hopefully, I'm a prophet and we'll play (well) and do what we're supposed to do."

Luis Castillo's first inning two-run homer and Jose Reyes' third solo homer of the series helped the Mets build a 4-2 lead after five innings. Tatis also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Perez was rolling right along, getting ahead in the count - Until the fifth inning, that is. He allowed Ross's eighth homer of the year, and escaped further damage when center fielder Carlos Beltran flagged down Jacque Jones' line drive ticketed for the right-center field gap with two runners aboard to reserve the lead ever so briefly.

In the sixth, after Jorge Cantu flied to center, Wes Helms and Dan Uggla singled, Ross struck again, blasting Perez's delivery high into the Flushing night.

Three Marlins relievers stifled the Mets after Olsen was pulled following five shaky innings, limiting them to two hits in three innings.

It looked like that lead would stand up until Chavez drove an 0-2 fastball from Gregg into the right field bullpen, just the closer's second blown save in 12 opportunities.