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.”

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.

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