The Mets had a scare last night against the Cardinals when hard-luck relief pitcher Duaner Sanchez took a line drive off his left knee.  With two outs in the eighth inning, Yadier Molina hit a come-backer that ricocheted off Sanchez’s knee toward third base.  David Wright fielded the ball, retiring Molina at first, while Sanchez, unable to get up, laid on the ground in pain.

“I was in pain right away,” Sanchez said. “I tried to get up, and I just couldn’t.”

After a few minutes, Sanchez limped to the dugout, and was replaced by Billy Wagner to open the ninth, who retired the Cardinals in order, preserving the Mets 7-4 victory.

After the game Sanchez said his knee was sore, but he thinks he’ll be okay. That’s a sigh of relief for the Mets as Sanchez has become a key in the Mets bullpen, going 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA.

Sanchez is no stranger to injury.  The reliever missed almost a year-and-a-half with shoulder injuries after getting into a taxi cab accident in 2006.