POSTGAME: Dodgers 2, Mets 1

The Mets (21-19) were swept by the Dodgers (29-13) Wednesday night by a final score of 2-1. J.J. Putz (1-3, 3.91) was charged with the loss after allowing an eighth inning run, while Dodgers rookie Brent Leach (1-0, 6.23) picked up his first career victory.

Mets Pitching
Livan Hernandez: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Putz (L, 1-3): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Notables
Luis Castillo: 1 for 3, BB, R
Carlos Beltran: 2 for 3, 2B, RBI, 1 BB
David Wright: 1 for 2, 2 BB
Ryan Church: 1 for 3, 2B

The Good:

• Hernandez pitched well, but he got Santana'd with his run support.
• As soon as Gary and Ron started talking about Church's lack of power, he smacked one off the very top of the wall in right center, just missing a home run. What a difference a few inches makes.
• If anybody doesn't think Beltran and Wright are now the leaders of this team, they're crazy. These two are practically carrying the Mets.
• Murphy looked unbelievable comfortable at first base, to the point where I kept forgetting it was him down there.

The Bad:

• Jose Reyes left the game early on after he re-aggravated his calf injury. It is not known how serious the injury is, but he will likely miss the entire Red Sox series as he is flying back to New York to be examined.
• J.J. Putz still isn't too impressive. Yes, he looks better than he did a week and a half ago, but he still isn't the J.J. Putz the Mets traded for. Perhaps his name should be mentioned in order to bring in a front-end starter or a big bat to replace Delgado should he have any setbacks.
• The Mets have been swept for the second time this season, but I can't decide which one was worse. I feel the Mets could have and should have won every game of the series in LA, but the way they lost each game just eats at me constantly. They are both pretty bad in their own respect, I guess.

The Ugly:

• The Mets offense with RISP. It's a broken record, I know, but I have honestly never seen a team so bad with RISP and less than two outs. David Wright produced the only good at-bat with RISP tonight, lifting a sac-fly that moved both runners up with no outs. Other than that, it was a night filled with strikeouts and groundouts to Hudson at second base. No home runs on the entire road trip? Something is wrong here.

Mets Player of the Game: Livan Hernandez (2)

Just an awful series to watch if you're a Mets fan. The bad thing is, now they go to another tough place to win and are forced to face off against Matsuzaka, Beckett, and Wakefield. Shield your eyes, Mets fans. The Mets may head back home under .500.