After splitting their last two four-game series, the Mets took on the Phillies for yet another four-game matchup over the July 4^th weekend. The Mets came into the series with a 4-2 record against the Phils this season but four-and-a-half games behind them in the standings. After losing the one game they thought they’d win, with Johan Santana pitching against J.A. Happ, the Mets ended up taking the series anyway. They move two-and-a-half games behind Philadelphia, and are 7-3 against them this year. Here’s what happened.

Friday, Phillies 3-2: Phillies Bullpen Good

The Mets offense let the Phillies off the hook time and time again in this game. They had plenty of chances to break the game open and couldn’t get it done. In fact, they only ended up with four hits. Johan Santana pitched eight great innings and probably should have been kept in to pitch the ninth too. He did have a two-run lead, though, so is it unfair to sometimes expect your ace in a big game like this to hold that lead? No pitcher is perfect but Santana is arguably the best pitcher in baseball and the Mets traded for him to win games like this. He seems to pitch just well enough to lose. Regardless, Jerry Manuel took him out and Duaner Sanchez came in and lost the game. The Phillies bullpen did their job; the Mets pen didn’t.

Saturday, Mets 9-4: Phillies Bullpen Bad

The Mets had a three-run cushion, and right on schedule blew the lead. But the usually impeccable Phillies bullpen completely fell apart, and the Mets roared back for the victory. Unlike the previous game, every move Jerry Manuel made worked out perfectly, highlighted by pinch-hitter Brian Schneider’s two-run double that plated the eventual winning runs. In a tale of two bullpens, it was the Mets relievers who came through in this one, tossing 3.1 innings and letting in one run. John Maine went 5.2 frames, only giving up a routine fly ball/Citizens Bank Park home run to Ryan Howard, but had to leave the game with a cramp in his left arm. And Ryan Church had to come out because of dizziness due to a migraine. In the top of the ninth, there was a phantom 14-minute rain delay where it didn’t actually rain. The Phillie Phanatic entertained the crowd by pretending to be gay because he was shacking up with two women and thought landlord Charlie Manuel wouldn’t allow him to live in his building unless he put on that charade. Or that might have been an episode of “Three’s Company.” I was channel surfing and on my eighth beer by that point.

Sunday, Mets 4-2: Wagner the All-Star

Billy Wagner celebrated being named to the All-Star team by giving up a two-out, two-run, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth. Fernando Tatis saved the day, though, with a two-run homer of his own in the top of the 12^th. The Mets never would have won this game last year. Maybe they’re finally turning a corner. The self-proclaimed Real Oliver Perez showed up again and pitched seven shutout innings. Joe Smith picked up the win by going 2.1 innings. Carlos Beltran homered and drove in two runs. There was a 27-hour rain delay in this game (and it actually rained this time). At least Channel 11 showed the “Odd Couple,” so it was worth it.

Monday, Mets 10-9: Mets Win Blowout by One Run

This is another game the Mets might have lost last year. They piled up 10 runs (and have scored 50 runs in their last seven games), led by David Wright’s home run and four RBIs (he now has 70 for the season), and the game looked to be over early. Pedro Martinez looked a lot better in this outing, going 5.1 innings and giving up two runs. The Phillies chipped away at the Mets bullpen to make things interesting but fell one run short. Billy Wagner is fun to watch, isn’t he? Jerry Manuel was kicked out of the game after Ryan Howard was gift-wrapped a home run by the umpires when they overruled themselves and ultimately got the call wrong. The Mets have now won three in a row for the first time since 1989.