Beyond Game 161

"But that's nitpicking - he's a converted reliever who's way beyond his innings allotment, and has looked gassed in recent outings. Saturday night was his best outing as a Met, and the one his team so desperately needed. And the Mets backed it up in the other phases of the game, unlike innumerable nights during which they've failed to take care of one or all aspects of business."

"And all this talk of Game 161 inevitably leads us to the Mets, the Marlins and Game 162s. (Games 162? Anyway.) 2007's Game 162 saw T@m Glav!ne lay an egg and torch his reputation with Mets fans in the clubhouse scrum, earning the unique formatting his name will bear at Faith and Fear forevermore. (BTW, I vote we retroactively give his 300th win to the Braves, seeing how it's a milestone nobody here wants to remember or"

Clay Holmes, a converted reliever well beyond typical innings, produced his best outing as a Met in Game 161 despite recent signs of fatigue. The Mets provided run support as Pete Alonso punished Eury Pérez and Jeff McNeil added key insurance, allowing the lineup to ease pressure on Edwin Díaz late. The bullpen was sharp, Díaz effective recently, and the defense held up. About 20,000 fans packed Soilmaster Stadium, creating a Citi Field–like atmosphere. The Mets no longer control their destiny and needed help that the Brewers, locked into seeding, did not provide. The Reds have been strong down the stretch, and similar late-game drama has touched the Mets before, with notable moments in 2007 and 2008 involving John Maine and Johan Santana.

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