The third biggest reaction from the crowd at the bar was when A-Rod hit his monster homer.

The second biggest reaction from the crowd at the bar was when Jose Molina got his bell rung on a cross-up from Jose Veras.

The biggest reaction from the crowd at the bar was when the T.V. showed the slow-motion replay of Molina taking one on the fly from Veras right to his huevos.

And, that just about sums up the Yankees night today. What a waste. But, hey, it was Supercuts Visor Night! (I only know this because I saw a bunch of people on the train, heading back to New Jersey, sporting their brand new visors.)

It was an interesting night at Foley’s…the Yankees lost a tough one, the Mets lost badly to the Cardinals…which hurt because the Mets just beat the Yankees and now were getting their tail kicked, easily, in St. Louis…and the Rays beat the Red Sox…and you’re not sure who to root for in that series…and all three games were going at the same time on three different T.V. sets…

So, from a game watching perspective, it was somewhat painful. But, from a “hanging out” perspective…it was a great night.

I got to meet some of the readers of this blog – including frequent WasWatching.com commenter “Raf.” I got to meet some good Yankees fans who don’t read this blog. (Hey, what’s up with that?) I got to see people like Alex Belth and Cliff Corcoran, from Bronx Banter, who I haven’t seen in a while. And, I got to meet, for the first time, some people – like Peter Abraham and Will Carroll – who I’ve traded e-mails with in the past…but who I had never meet in person before tonight. (Happy Birthday, again, Will!)

You know, back in the day, during a Yankees game recap, when the Scooter heard that Pope Paul VI had just passed away, he said “Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankee win.”

Well, hanging at Foley’s tonight was fun enough for me to now say “Hey, that kind of takes the damper off even a Yankee loss!”

My thanks to all who took some time to chat with me and share part of the evening…it was a pleasure. And, my apologies to anyone who I didn’t get a chance to say ‘good-bye’ to when I had to bolt – soon after the game ended – at 10:20. (My train was leaving Penn at 10:42 – which I just made – and that got me home just before midnight. The next train was leaving at 11:30 – which would have gotten me home at 12:42…and that’s a big difference.)

Cross your fingers for Joba Chamberlain on Tuesday. With this loss today, and Sidney Ponson going on Wednesday…Joba may be our best chance at avoiding a sweep.

Don’t get me wrong…if the Yankees want to sign a young, left-handed, starting pitcher free agent in this, or any, off-season, I’m fine with that…as long as he’s good and of sound mind and body. Perez? He’s just a mess – unless he’s pitching against the Yankees. And, it would be a waste of money to sign him as a free agent.

Speaking of pitching, Darrell Rasner was better today. Based on what we’re hearing now from Girardi on Ian Kennedy (that he’s not on a rehab assignment, that he was demoted to the minors, and he has to earn his way back to the majors) and what we’re hearing now from Cashman on Phil Hughes (that he should pitch again this season – but, don’t expect it to be in the majors), the Yankees are going to need Rasner to be decent…because there aren’t many other options on the roster.

Before I forget…yeah, that homer from Wilson Betemit was impressive today. It had the look, sound, and distance of a Glenallen Hill juice-job circa 2000. No, I not suggesting anything about Betemit. I’m just saying that you cannot hit a ball any harder than that one.

How about David Robertson? Well, based on what we saw today, I would say that his upside is Gregg Olson (the former Orioles closer) and his downside is Jason Anderson (a recent failed Yankees pitching prospect). Then again, he could just be somewhere in the middle too.

One last thing before I get to the most important thing about this game…how about that hissy fit by Agador Reyes in the top of the seventh (when he was charged with a throwing error on a ball that Delgado should have caught and then Reyes threw his glove into the ground, in disgust)? Gosh, I hope that video gets played, over and over again, for the next 24-hours, on every sports highlight show between ESPN, FOX and you name it. The whole world needs to see how this guy is not worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence with Derek Jeter – even when Jeter is having a poor season.

Now, the big ticket: On the season, the Mets beat the Yankees four out of six times. And, one of those times that the Yankees won was a narrow 3-2 victory where they got lucky with a couple of somewhat gift runs. Yes, this same Mets team who was been playing .500 ball for the last calendar year (or longer?) pushed the Yankees around this season.

When you boil down how the Yankees have played, on the whole, this season, should we be shocked that the Mets took four of six? Or, is that just another indication that this Yankees team has some issues that need to be addressed?

Me? I’m saying no to the former and yes to the latter. How about you?

Nothing better than winning, 3-2, with Andy Pettitte pitching like an “ace” – especially coming back out after the long rain delay today – and besting the Mets’ ace, Johan Santana. Also, having Agador Reyes get picked-off second, in the bottom of the fifth, with two outs, and his team down by a run, with David Wright up at the plate, was just the icing on the cake.

Although, I have to be honest, I was sweating the bottom of the 8th inning. Yanks up by just one, the Mets 2-3-4 hitters coming to the plate, and Kyle Farnsworth pitching. Man, General Joe has the guts of a burglar…either that, or, he really does think that Farnsworth is a capable pitcher…

Part of me fears seeing Farnsworth coming through in these spots – as crazy as that sounds. I just have this feeling that, if Kyle keeps handling the eighth, the Yankees are going to continue to count on him for that spot. And, then, somewhere – maybe late in the season or in the post-season – it’s going to come back to haunt them…when Farnsworth blows a huge game.

In any event, now that this win is in the books, I really want to see the Yankees win on Sunday. Given the way that the Mets pushed the Yankees around in the Bronx this season, it only seems fair that the Yankees win all three games at Shea…as payback.

“Revenge, it’s the best way of getting even.” – A. Bunker, circa 1970’s

In fact, Igawa would later get into the game, in the ninth, and contributed another three outs.

Yes, the Yankees won a game this evening – getting seven scoreless innings from the combination of Sidney Ponson and Kei Igawa.

O.K., I have to say it again: Really, Sidney Ponson and Kei Igawa.

You don’t see that everyday.

Seeing this almost makes it worth enduring that ugly first game today – also against the Mets. But, I stress almost. It’s not a perfect offset – but it’s pretty darn close. Prittay, prittay, close. (And, it’s always a treat to beat Slippery Pete the Mango Tree Sitter.)

Well, at the least, this win makes it worth having to sit through two games of David Cone calling Ken Singleton “Singie” – way too many times – while also having to hear Cone use an exaggerated accentuation during his pronunciation of the word “life”…over and over again.

…Look at the late LIE-fe on that pitch. That Yankees bench is starting to show some signs of LIE-fe…

Oh, my stars and garters – I thought my ears were going to start to bleed after a while…and I actually like Cone in the booth too. David, please, stop doing that, O.K.?

Back to Ponson, let’s not forget that he went 6 and 2/3 innings pitched in his first Yankees game the last time the Yankees picked him off the scrap heap – back in 2006. And, then, he was back to being a human batting-tee. So, while this effort probably earns him another start for the Yankees – assuming he doesn’t do something stupid, off the field, in the next four days – don’t start expecting him to be the wind beneath the Yankees wings.

Tomorrow should be fun – a re-match of May 17th – Pettitte and Santana.

Pettitte’s ERA over his last 3 starts is 0.43 (in 21 IP). Santana’s ERA over his last 3 starts is 2.25 (in 20 IP). It could end up being a battle of the bullpens. We’ll see…

2:20 pm ET: Well, that was quick. One-zip, Mets.

2:38 pm ET: Nice hitting…er…bloops by A-Rod and the Big G. Now tied at one. Mets’ Mike Pelfrey’s fastball is showing up at 95 MPH – and on a two-seamer! – on the YES/my9 gun. I suppose they only use that “slow” YES/my9 gun for the Yankees pitchers…

2:49 pm ET: Forty minutes for an inning and a half of baseball? Throw in at least one rain delay and these two teams will never make it to Queens in time for the night-cap…at this rate.

2:56 pm ET: I’m sorry…but…runner on second, via a lead-off double (Cano), and no outs…you gotta get him in. Bad job by the Yankees 8-9-1 hitters there.

3:10 pm ET: That look on Girardi’s face right after Beltran hit the two-run homer says it all.

3:25 pm ET: Nice job by Conie with the Rickey Henderson stories. Love those. And, man, does Beltran play too deep. That’s two gift hits via him – A-Rod before and Posada now.

3:30 pm ET: Another rocket…er, well placed squib…this time from Betemit. Yanks now lead, 4-3, after three. Hey, better lucky than good, right?

3:50 pm ET: Bummer. Bases juiced. And, all left stranded. That could have been a spot to blow this one open. Is it just me, or, could Pelfrey give Giambi a run for his money on the playing with your tongue sticking out thing? Four-three, Yanks, end of four.

(O.K., gotta take a call at 4 pm. I’ll try and check in again once I’m done.)

4:27 pm ET: Just got off a phone call and peeked at the T.V. It’s now 6-4 Mets in the top of the 6th. Edwar Ramírez is pitching. Wha’ happened? Dare I ask?

4:38 pm ET: Just saw, via SNY.tv’s STATS At The Park, what happened in the top of the 5th. Glad I missed that mess.

4:44 pm ET: Delgado, of all people, hits a slam. It’s now 11-4 Mets in the 6th. I’m done. Going to the gym. It’s a better use of my time right now. See ya later tonight.

6:25 pm ET: For the record, when Delgado homered off Hawkins in the 8th, to make the score 15-5, Mets, a couple of Mets fans in the gym (who were watching the game on one of the T.V.’s there) made a noise implying that they just made happy time in their gym shorts. I guess it’s a great day, so far, in the land of the Mets. Then again, why shouldn’t it be after a game like this one?

Man, it’s been a long time since the Yankees let one man destroy them in their own park – the way that Carlos Delgado did this afternoon. Ouch.

Let’s look at Joba’s last three starts – including this game:

June 13th: 6.0 Innings, 10 Base-runners, 1 Earned Run
June 19th: 5.6 Innings, 7 Base-runners, 1 Earned Run
June 25th: 6.6 Innings, 7 Base-runners, 0 Earned Runs

This is just a guess…but…I think you have to go back to Dave Righetti in 1981 to find the last time when a Yankees pitcher, as young as Joba is now, has put together three starts in a row like these.

Very impressive.

The Yankees have now won 8 of their last 11 games. Three of those eight wins have come in starts by Chamberlain.

He’s starting to look like an ace to me.

What a beautiful ballpark. What a terrible game.

Guess what? The Yankees now have to win the next two games in order to win this series. Yes, if the Yankees split the next two games, then they will have lost a series to the less than stellar Pittsburgh Pirates.

Why would this be a big deal? Look at it this way: Assume the Yankees do go ahead now and split the next two games with the Buccos. This would put New York’s season W-L record at 42-37. But, more importantly, this would make the Yankees 30-37 this season against all teams not named the Mariners, Astros and Padres. And, with 79 games then under their belt (which is basically half the season), this then would be testament that the 2008 Yankees are not a very good baseball team. And, Yankees fans should then level set their expectations, accordingly.

Of course, having Chamberlain and Mussina going for New York in their next two games (in Pittsburgh) should help their chances of winning both games. Then again…it also makes it worse if the Yankees end up losing one or both of these games as well.

Lastly, some words on two of the Yankees pitchers this evening. Darrell Rasner has now allowed 21 ER in his last 27 IP. Has the clock struck midnight on him? It could be true. And, let’s be honest, LaTroy Hawkins should be given his walking papers before he leaves the clubhouse this evening. He may be a nice guy to have in the clubhouse, etc. But, he’s right up there with the likes of Juan Acevedo, Felix Heredia, and Felix Rodriguez in terms of recent and really stinky Yankees relief pitchers. Com’on Cash…cut the cord on this one already.

In any event, this was a good one to win. Getting swept by the Reds would have been a bummer.

Speaking of bummers, I can’t believe that Kid Griffey got a standing-ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd after he homered in the eighth. He didn’t deserve it.

So, now, it’s an off-day tomorrow, followed by three at the Pirates and then the Mets for four games in three days. Let’s hope the Yankees don’t look past the Buccos. Last season, the Yankees beat up on Pittsburgh, pretty good, for three games at the Stadium (in early June). Some of the Pirates may remember that and they could be pumped for this rematch.

Some post-game video, via SNY’s Geico SportsNite:

I almost want to say that it’s a shame Dan Giese was not lifted today after his stellar first six innings – and he was awesome today for the first six. And, I almost want to say that it’s a shame that the Yankees infantry relievers didn’t pitch better today. As, if those two things happened, that could have made this a closer game.

But, the fact of the matter is that the Yankees offense, today, was ineffective – and that’s being polite.

It will be interesting to see what New York does tomorrow with the Reds’ Johnny Cueto. So far, this season, it seems like Cueto is either good for 6 innings and allowing about 2 earned runs; or, he’s “bad” in the sense that he doesn’t make it to the sixth and allows at least a run per inning pitched. It could help the Yankees that Cueto has been hit hard when he’s pitching on the road, to date, this year.

Let’s hope that Andy Pettitte has his “A” game tomorrow. Losing three in a row, at home, to the Reds, would certainly take away from the seven game winning streak that New York had coming into this series.

On the bright side, Hideki Matsui’s knee allowed him to play again and Mike Mussina gave the Yankees a solid eight innings in this contest.

Sure, that top of the fifth inning could have played out a little differently – and that would have made this an even closer game. But, you can’t win every game. And, very few teams are beating Volquez this season.

Games like this one…you just rub some dirt on it…try and walk it off…and come back tomorrow.