My sincerest apologies for being slow on the updates the last few days — it was a confluence of family in town, a birthday celebrated and a new puppy in the home all contributing to the ********. 

What did we miss? Some bad (dropping two of three to the Skanks, an ugly loss to Pittsburgh) along with the good (Endy helps key the comeback vs. the Bucs). But Tuesday night, equilibrium returned, as everyone departed my house hours before El Duque pitched like it was Villa Clara, 1985, and the first-inning magic was back in a zippy 5-0 win over the Pitts.

That win, plus a Philly loss and all the catch up from the last few days left the Mets’ magic number at just …

68.

As it’s been, that’s over the Phillies and the Fightin’ Fish of Las Vegas’ future.

With the win, the Mets became the first in the Senior Circuit to 50.