The Florida Marlins came back to beat the Mets, 7-5, in dramatic fashion yesterday at Shea Stadium. For the Mets, that was not even the worst news of the night.
After the game, the Mets announced that catcher Paul Lo Duca would be placed on the disabled list. Lo Duca aggravated an injury to his right hamstring while running to first base in the fourth inning.
The Mets (64-52) are going through their most demoralizing stretch of the season. Their lead in the National League East was trimmed to two and a half games over the Atlanta Braves, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday, 7-5. Their lead has not been that slim since July 21, and they have lost four of their past five games, all of which have been played at home.