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The New York Mets let the Philadelphia Phillies creep back to a game-and-a-half back in the N.L. East Saturday night with an 8-3 loss to the Houston Astros.
Mets starter John Maine got roughed up for eight earned runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. He lost his no-hitter in the second inning when Lance Berkman hit a ground rule double to centerfield, making it 7,450 Mets games without a no-no.
Maine gave up an RBI single in the second inning, and an RBI single and a three-run homer in the third inning, giving the Astros a 5-0 lead. He got into trouble again in the sixth by giving up a leadoff homer, then striking out two before giving up back-to-back singles. Duaner Sanchez replaced Maine but gave up two additional singles, scoring the runners that Maine was responsible for.
The Mets’ runs came on an RBI double by Ryan Church and a two-run homer by Brian Schneider.
