Mets' bullpen fails in 7-5 loss to Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - The sun did come up Friday, as anticipated, and yet Omar Minaya felt no more secure in his post as the Mets' general manager than he had only 24 hours earlier.

As Minaya pointed out, his situation remains the same despite the cryptic comments of principal owner Fred Wilpon, who strongly hinted that Minaya will return in the same job for 2011.

When asked Thursday about Minaya coming back as GM next season, Wilpon replied, "Is the sun going to come up tomorrow?" That statement was widely interpreted as an endorsement for next season, but Minaya shrugged.

"It's nothing new," he said. "The fact of the matter is that I have a contract for two years beyond this one and I look forward to doing that."

Ultimately, it will be the team's performance in the next eight weeks that determines Minaya's fate, and the Mets left him hanging Friday with a 7-5 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Jonathon Niese got the Mets to the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead after overcoming early control problems. Once he reached 111 pitches, however, manager Jerry Manuel pulled Niese - and any chance the Mets had disappeared as well.

The Phillies sent 11 hitters to the plate in the eighth - the first seven reached base - and scored six runs against Bobby Parnell, Pedro Feliciano and Manny Acosta to swipe the victory.

"The first seven innings, we were in control," Jeff Francoeur said. "Then in the eighth, in five minutes, it changed the whole game."

Manuel has rotated setup men all season, and Parnell became the latest to implode in that role. He allowed four straight singles - including two of the RBI variety by Ben Francisco and Carlos Ruiz - without recording an out.

Feliciano wasn't much of an improvement, giving up a bunt single to former Met Wilson Valdez to load the bases before walking pinch hitter Ross Gload. Jimmy Rollins followed with an RBI single, and one out later, in came Acosta, who served up a two-run single to Mike Sweeney.

Pinch hitter Mike Hessman's three-run homer with two outs in the ninth made the final score respectable, but as brutal losses go, this was near the top of the list - especially given that it dropped the Mets below .500 (54-55) for the first time since May 23, when they were 22-23.

"We've still got a shot," Manuel said. "We've got to put something together and we've got to put something together quick."

Niese allowed only four hits in seven innings and the Phillies' only run came on Placido Polanco's RBI double with one out in the first. The rookie lefthander struggled with his command early, issuing four of his five walks in the first three innings, but settled down to retire 13 of his last 15 batters.

By the seventh, Niese was cruising, but he was OK with Manuel's decision to go to the bullpen. "They're always looking out for my career," Niese said. "Obviously, the pitch count is important. I let them manage and coach. They know what they're doing. They have a plan to win the game."

The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on three straight singles, the last by Josh Thole. But they stranded two that inning and didn't get another baserunner until Francoeur's infield single with one out in the seventh. Earlier, Jose Reyes had tied the score with a two-out single in the fourth.

Minaya said before Friday's game that the Mets are not a .500 team, and after they lost to the Phillies, he's right. There are many reasons why, but Minaya accepted the blame.

"As the general manager, when the team does well, I always say the players are the ones that should get the credit," Minaya said. "When the team is not playing well, as the general manager, you've got to take responsibility. You are the one accountable for it."