MAZEL TOV!

It's been a long-standing tradition for me that, whenever Shawn Green hits a Home Run, I will yell (or text El Guapo as the case may be) MAZEL TOV!

And Green certainly earned his Mazel Tov last night, capping a tense, taut ballgame by homering on the first pitch I was able to see as I arrived home, a majestic blast off the scoreboard in Right, giving the Mets a big victory in Game 1 of this week's Grudge Match.

The Mets offense was sparse, with 2 of their 3 hits leaving the yard. Carlos Gomez had one of those that went out, early in the game, after hitting a long drive foul (and drawing the ire of Willie by styling at home plate and watching it), which gave the Mets the early lead.

But let's give the credit to where it's rightfully deserved: The Bullpen. First Joe Smith, then Feliciano, Wagner and Heilman navigated in and out of some dangerous situations and threw zeroes from the seventh inning on. Wagner was especially dominant, striking out his nemesis That's So Taguchi and also The Jerkwad in his two perfect innings, and Heilman also rebounded with a solid inning after a few rough outings. Smith pitched himself out of a major jam in the 7th, with help from Feliciano. And Jorge Sosa shook off bad outings in his last two starts to pitch a good game against the frightening MFCardinals lineup, featuring Scott Spiezio and his chin pubes in the #5 spot (how the mighty have fallen. From Cheech Molina on Opening Day to Spiezio. Just a tragedy for the MFC's).

But it's Green who deservedly wears the hero's mantel on this evening. They're down, now knock them out.