Suckiest suck that ever sucked: El Duque - 3ip, 6h, 8r, 8er, 4bb, 2k

It wooks wike somebuddy wuzzent weddy to come back just yet. I actually missed almost all of the game as Mrs. AmazinAvenue and I went to see 3:10 to Yuma. Solid flick, impressive body count, well-crafted good-versus-evil dichotomy, Gretchen Mol, though ultimately a befuddling and mostly unsatisfying ending.

As for the game, the Mets didn't really show up. Actually, the five runs they scored would have been enough to win most games, just not games in which your starting pitcher coughs up eight runs in three frames. El Duque didn't have his "A" game tonight. Unfortunately, he couldn't find his "B" game in time for the game and he left his "C" game in his other pants. He went with his trusty ole "D" game, and the Braves' offense was plenty prepared for it.

If El Duque wasn't bad enough, the Mets' bullpen phoned it in tonight, too. Aaron Sele, Mike Pelfrey and Willie Collazo combined to allow another five runs in five innings of work. Philip Humber came on to pitch a perfect ninth when it didn't much matter anymore.

Offensively, Jose Reyes collected three hits and David "MVP" Wright reached base his requisite two times in four plate appearances.

Fortunately for the Mets, the Phillies were busy stinking up the joint against the Rockies, so even in losing the Mets shave another tick from their magic number, now down to 13.