Giants avoid sweep, edge Mets 2-0

May 18, 11:59 AMNew York Mets ExaminerAndrew Mees

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The Mets' recent turnaround has vaulted them to the top of the National League East, but it has not been without numerous misques on a nightly basis. 

Victory can mask a lot of things.  But their mistakes finally caught up with them last night as they fell to the San Francisco Giants 2-0, missing an opportunity to get a four-game sweep to start their ten-game road trip. 

On this particular night, the errors were of an unusual variety.  Starter Mike Pelfrey (right) balked on three separate occasions, two of them leading to  San Francisco runs.  

 The first came in Pelfrey's first inning of work, when his two-out balk allowed Pablo Sandoval to advance to second.  He scored on a Benji Molina single, putting the Giants up 1-0.  Pelfrey struck again in the fifth, when his second mishap allowed Aaron Rowand to advance to second, and Rowand later scored on a single by starting pitcher Matt Cain.  A third balk was his only other blemish as he went six strong innings, surrendering just the two runs.

"I think maybe when I get on national TV I like making a fool of myself," Pelfrey told the Associated Press. "It seemed like I almost had the yips. It was like I was fighting myself to come set because my mind kept telling me to pick the guy off. I went back and watched replays and I balked."

The Met offense had their chances to get back in the game, but a unit that had been red-hot in clutch situations had their first hiccup of the road trip.  Crucial double plays off the bats of Jeremy Reed in the second and Angel Pagan in the eighth let two bases-loaded opportunities slip away, leaving the Amazin's hitless with runners in scoring position on the evening. 

The club heads to Los Angeles for the opening game of their three-game set with the Dodgers tonight.  First-pitch is set for 10:10 Eastern Time.  Tim Redding will make his season debut for the Amazin's, opposite southpaw Randy Wolf for LA.