Gee! Dillon does it again

It wasn't a victory that converted me back into a believer that the Mets will steamroll into the Series. Not when starter Oliver Perez surrendered six hits and four walks in just five innings. Plus, the four runs he gave up upped his ERA to 3.46.

The Mets won because Moises Alou, at age 41, can still hit better than most younger players. Twice he drove the ball out of the park. His three hits produced four RBIs. And Carlos Delgado, who almost always hits better in the second half of the season, continued that trend, homering and driving in two more runs.

Meanwhile, the Mets mega-million-dollar man, Carlos Beltran, went 0 for 5, striking out twice and leaving five men on base to lower his batting average to .258.

Triple-A: Round Rock beat the Zephyrs 3-0. Philip Humber surrendered all the runs in five innings, the decisive blow a two-run homer in the top of the third. It was Humber's eighth loss against 10 wins. Humber's last win came on July 16.

Double-A: Binghamton got clobbered, 11-4. Starter Salvador Aguilar's ERA jumped to 13.50 after he yielded 11 hits, three walks, and six runs in just four innings.

Single-A: St. Lucie also was involved in a shutout; however, they came out on top, 4-0. Jonathon Niese pitched the complete game, which in the Florida State League is seven innings. His record's now 11-6. It's the third start in a row in which the lefty has pitched the whole game. Niese limited Sarasota to three hits and no walks. He struck out six. Niese now has more wins than any other Mets minor leaguer.

Single-A: At home, Brooklyn beat the Auburn Doubledays, 4-2. Four Mets pitchers powered the win, starting with Dillon Gee, who had another strong outing though he didn't earn the win. In four innings Gee gave up a run on five hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out five. His successor, Tim Stronach, had even more success. In three innings he didn't give up a run and picked up the win.

Two high 2007 draft choices pitched the final two innings. Brant Rustich pitched the eighth, surrendering the first run of his pro career on a triple and a groundout. Eddie Kunz pitched a hitless ninth, striking out the last two batters.