Bad luck plagues closer Parnell in loss

Bring on the competition in spring training, Terry Collins said. If the Mets have no definitive closer heading into next season, so be it. The manager said he can live with it. And it looks like he will have to.

No one is making a great claim for the job right now. Saturday, it was Bobby Parnell's job again to protect a one-run lead in the ninth and he failed to do it, as Manny Acosta failed on Friday night. Even though it wasn't Parnell's fault, it was Parnell's loss, a 5-4 defeat to the Cubs at Citi Field.

Collins generously took the blame himself for choosing not to intentionally walk Aramis Ramirez with first base open and two outs in the ninth, leaving the door open for Ramirez to hit the decisive two-run single through the hole to rightfield for two unearned runs. That capped an inning that began with an error by David Wright, the fourth by the Mets in the game.

Still, in Parnell's own words: "It is what it is. It's the ninth inning. If I don't perform in the ninth inning, the limelight is on me."

He might be new to the job that was held by Francisco Rodriguez (traded) and Jason Isringhausen (injured), but Parnell (3-6) knows how it works. He was the first one at his locker stall after the game, ready to answer the inevitable questions. No, he didn't think it was a mistake to pitch to Ramirez, a veteran and .304 hitter, with rookie Tony Campana (.267) on deck. On top of that, Parnell said, "Looking back, I don't know if I could have made too many different pitches. I felt like I threw well. Unfortunately things just didn't go my way."

Ramirez hit a fastball off the plate. "It was a very good pitch," catcher Mike Nickeas said.

But it was enough to spoil a potentially heartening day. The Mets had come back from a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the eighth against starter Randy Wells and Kerry Wood on a double by Jose Reyes, singles by Ruben Tejada and Wright and a two-run single by rejuvenated Jason Bay.

"You go from the thought of 'We stole one' to all of a sudden we're in trouble," said Wright, who made his second error of the game to start the ninth. Pinch hitter Bryan LaHair doubled to the leftfield corner, putting Parnell in really big trouble.

He nearly got out of it, retiring Starlin Castro on a grounder back to the mound and striking out Reed Johnson. It was a perfect opportunity to walk Ramirez, and Collins did consider doing that.

"I know he's a good hitter. I just didn't feel comfortable walking him. I should have trusted my guys better than that," Collins said. "I didn't want to put Bobby under a 'Hey look, I can't miss. I've got to throw the ball over the plate.' At this level, you've got to trust your guys. That was my fault."

Nickeas had no problem with the decision. "Bobby has enough stuff to get anybody out. I loved it. I thought it was great," the catcher said. Wright added, "He didn't drive the ball, he hit a cue shot." Reyes said of Parnell, "It wasn't his fault." Starting pitcher Chris Capuano, who threw seven solid innings (one earned run) said, "It could have just as easily gone to the second baseman."

It didn't, though. It went for a loss, and it did nothing to bring the Mets closer to finding a closer. "I like the pressure, I don't feel nervous at all," Parnell said. "I haven't had the greatest of years. It's been an uphill struggle. I'm going to keep fighting."

He will have to keep fighting for a job that is still up for grabs.