Jerry Manuel had a rather honest assessment of Pedro Martinez before the game:
“Pedro is in one of those places in his career where you don’t know what direction he might go.â€
Well, Martinez may not be what he used to be, but he has given the Mets all they could really have asked for through six—three runs, six hits allowed, plus a season-high nine strikeouts. His K against Rich Harden to end the sixth was No. 3,117, tying him with Bob Gibson for 13th on the all-time list.
Manuel is a big believer in Church. He made that clear before the game when he was asked why he didn’t sit him for this game in favor of Endy Chavez despite a 6-for-37 slump and his 0-for-5, six-left-stranded Wednesday game. Manuel said Church can take over a game offensively and defensively, and that he was hoping he was at the end of his skid. And then Church went out and delivered the clutch two-out, two-run double to tie the game at 3-3 in the fourth.
