Santana proves his worth in Mets' victory
NEW YORK — This is why they brought him here, why the Mets needed Johan Santana.
To win this game.
To save this season.
He may have done just that.
Santana struck out 10 in eight innings, allowing just two runs, and Jose Reyes hit a bases-clearing triple in the sixth inning to lead the Mets to a 6-2 victory Tuesday night over the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium.
The Mets (87-70) snapped a three-game losing streak and gained a game on the NL East-leading Phillies, who lost to Atlanta, 3-2.
The Mets, 11/2 games back in the East, have five games to catch the Phillies, the final five games at Shea.
They had needed to win Monday. They really needed to win Tuesday.
Santana (15-7) was on the mound. Their wild-card lead was down to one game over the Milwaukee Brewers entering Tuesday. And they face Carlos Zambrano tonight, and a struggling Pedro Martinez pitches for them Thursday.
But most of all, the Mets needed it because the atmosphere at Shea has become desperate.
Mets' chairman and CEO Fred Wilpon had a closed-door meeting with manager Jerry Manuel before the game. And talk of The Collapse, The Sequel, picks up steam with every loss.
"The burden, the cloud, the demons, whatever you want to name it, is good for conversation," Manuel said. "But once the game starts, I don't sense that (it affects the players)."
It helps to have Santana on the mound.
The Mets have won nine of Santana's past 10 starts. During that run, the left-hander has not allowed more than three runs. Santana has not lost since June 28.
It was Santana's game — to win or lose. Manuel said before the game that he had no pitch limit for his ace.
"How many? 200?" Manuel asked himself. "He told me last night if it's cool, he can go about 225."
He was joking. Sort of. Santana threw 125 pitches — 86 for strikes.
The Cubs (95-61) have clinched home field in the National League playoffs. If the season ended today, they would face the Mets in the first round.
The Mets took a 6-2 lead in the sixth inning.
Santana did not look sharp early. He allowed three doubles among the first seven batters he faced and four in three innings. Three of them led to two Cubs' runs.
