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Wright homers, bails out Mets bullpen

Aug 7, 2008 - 9:20 PM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- David Wright drilled a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday as the New York Mets overcame another bullpen meltdown in a start by Johan Santana to post a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Wright saved the Mets from what could have been a disastrous loss in which the bullpen squandered a lead for the sixth time in 23 starts this season.

Despite the anxious moments, the Mets took two of three from the Padres. New York is trying to piece together the back end of its bullpen without closer Billy Wagner, who is on the disabled list with a strained left forearm.

"We need to win ballgames no matter which way," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "To win a series is important. But we do have to solve our issues late in the game, there's no question about it. Somebody has to step up. That's all we're waiting on, for one or two guys to step up."

On Tuesday, Aaron Heilman was asked to protect a four-run lead but gave up a three-run home run to Jody Gerut. Scott Schoeneweis eventually got the save and was asked again to do so on Thursday with the Mets up by a run.

This time, he could not get the job done, as Gerut lined the first pitch of the at-bat off the scoreboard for his third home run of the series.

"I've thrown that pitch 10,000 times in my career and that result has happened twice," Schoeneweis said. "That result is rare."

Heilman (2-6) got the final two outs of the inning and recorded the win when Wright hit his first career walk-off home run on any level off former Met Heath Bell (6-5).

The homer capped a series in which Wright committed a costly error in Wednesday's 4-2 loss and made baserunning mistakes in consecutive games that had Manuel considering giving his third baseman a day off.

"I'm not tired," Wright said. "I made a few mental mistakes the last few days, but physically I feel good and being in the middle of August, I just wanted to try and simplify my approach. Sometimes in day games, it works out in your favor."

Wright gave the Mets their sixth walk-off win of the season and first since Carlos Beltran's homer off Arizona's Edgar Gonzalez in the 13th inning on June 11.

"I was looking for a slider," Wright said. "I got the first pitch and thought that he might come back with it again. So, I was just sitting on it and I got lucky."

It was Wright's 21st home run of the season and it came on a day when Santana cruised through the first seven innings. Santana allowed two hits through seven and the Mets stranded eight baserunners while going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

"Today, I think we as an offense have to better job of getting them more of a cushion late in the game," Wright said. "It's obviously magnified when a reliever comes in there and gives up a game-tying home run and we only have (a) one-run (lead). If we get two, three or four runs late in the game that allows them to go up there and throw strikes and not try to be too perfect."

Santana was done after consecutive singles to Luis Rodriguez and pinch hitter Edgar Gonzalez opened the eighth inning. That ended his day at 104 pitches, and that's when things became adventurous.

"There's nothing more I can say," said Santana, who has allowed two runs or less in 20 of his 24 starts. "We won the game. That's all that matters."

Duaner Sanchez was the first reliever, and his first pitch plunked Scott Hairston to load the bases. Pedro Feliciano got an out when second baseman Argenis Reyes threw out Rodriguez at the plate on a grounder, but then gave up Adrian Gonzalez's RBI single.

Joe Smith finished the inning thanks to Reyes, who turned a spectacular inning-ending double play when he smothered Kevin Kouzmanoff's grounder up the middle.

Wright's home run came after manager Bud Black and bench coach Craig Colbert were ejected by plate umpire Todd Tichenor after the umpires wouldn't let the Padres make a double switch.

"Todd said Buddy indicated straight up," crew chief Gerry Davis said. "Buddy said he signaled two, but you don't signal two like this (waving your hand). So, apparently that's what Todd thought he saw.

"Besides, the pitcher's already in the game. When he's on the mound, his obligation is to tell us two before he pitcher reaches the mound. The argument on the field was that he had signaled two, but Todd saw straight up."