0 not enough for Johan

Johan Santana limited the Philadelphia Phillies to just two runs on three hits, but it wasn’t enough as his team couldn’t score him a single run during a 2-0 loss at Citizens Bank Park.

Santana lost his no-hitter on the opening batter when Jimmy Rollins homered to left, advancing our NoNoHitters.com count to 7,563 New York Mets games without a no-hitter. It was the 53rd time a leadoff hitter opened a game against the Mets with a homer (visit our No-hitters killed by first at bat page for more details.)

The game’s only other run came in the sixth inning, when Chase Utley homered to right.

The Mets’ only hits were a single by Jeremy Reed, a bunt single by Santana and a pair of single by Luis Castillo.

			Beat by the Phils again

Jamie Moyer held the Mets hitless until the fourth as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Mets 4-1 at Citizens Bank Park.

Starter Fernando Nieve scored the Mets only run with a fifth-inning single to left that scored Nick Evans. He lost his no-hitter in the first inning on a Shane Victorino single, making it 7,562 New York Mets games without a no-no.

It looks like Nieve will keep his spot in the rotation as Tim Redding is being sent to the bullpen to make room for Oliver Perez.

			Not good, Livan

Livan Hernandez gave up seven runs in three innings of work as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 7-2 at Citizens Bank Park.

Hernandez lost his no-hitter on the first batter when Jimmy Rollins doubled, making it 7,561 #Mets games without a no-no. That means another update for our No-hitters killed by first at bat page. - the 20th time we’ve had to update it this season.

Nick Evans and Brian Schneider got RBIs in the seventh, but that’s about it for highlights.

			Big comeback

The Mets overcame a horrid start by Tim Redding and a blown save by Francisco Rodriguez to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-8 Thursday afternoon during a rain-soaked makeup game at PNC Park.

Redding put in just 2 1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks. He lost his no-hitter right away (well, rain delays aside) when Andrew McCutchen led off with a double to right, advancing our NoNoHitters.com count to 7,560 New York Mets games without a no-no.

McCutchen’s double earns Redding his first entry on our No-hitters killed by first at bat page - the 20th time we’ve had to update it this season.

Jerry Manuel had seen enough in the third, and he took the ball from Redding in the third and gave it to Pat Misch. Misch retired the only two batters he faced to let the Mets’ offense start chipping away at the deficit.

Fernando Tatis, Ryan Church and Nick Evans hit back-to-back-to-back singles in the fourth, and Daniel Murphy followed with a pinch-hit two RBI single to put New York on the scoreboard.

The Mets got back to work in the fifth when Alex Cora led off with a double, David Wright advanced him to third with a single and Gary Sheffield drove him in with a single. Church scored Wright on a single, and Evans knocked in Tatis with a single to tie the game at five. Jermy Reed’s pinch-hit sacrifice fly scored Church and gave the Mets a 6-5 lead.

Tatis’ two-run homer in the sixth extended the Mets’ lead to 8-5.

Garrett Jones blasted a Pedro Feliciano fastball over the right-center field wall in the seventh, cutting the Mets’ lead to 8-6 and putting Jones just a single shy of the cycle.

The Mets needed just three outs for the win, but Francisco Rodriguez gave up a two-run homer to Adam Laroche to tie the game at 8. The Pirates nearly had a walk-off win in the ninth, but Luis Castillo snagged a hard-hit liner to end the inning.

But they clawed for a run in the top of the tenth when Tatis was hit by a pitch, stole second and then scored on a Church single. Rodriguez retired the tenth for the win, instead of the save.

			Thank you Pelf

Mike Pelfrey threw 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball and Ryan Church singled home the game’s lone run Wednesday as the New York Mets topped the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 at Miller Park.

Pelfrey broke the Mets’ five-game losing streak by allowing just six hits and two walks during his start. Pelfrey lost his no-hitter in the second inning when Mat Gamel hit an infield single to third, making it 7,559 New York Mets without a no-no.

The game’s only run came when Luis Castillo led off the sixth with a ground-rule double to left and Church singled him home.

Sean Green was called upon to get the last out in the eighth after Pelfrey gave up a single and a walk, and Green did his job.

Francisco Rodriguez gave up a leadoff single up in the middle in the ninth and Prince Fielder followed with a liner up the middle, but Alex Cora was there to snag it and nearly turned the double play. K-Rod retired the next to batters for his 21st save of the season.