Perez holds up his end of the bargain

Lyle Spencer at Mets.com, writes about how Oliver Perez kept the Mets in the game long enough for a rally:

What Perez kept saying, over and over, was that he understood the responsibility and accepted the challenge, that he'd try to keep the Mets in the game with everything he had. That's all any starting pitcher can do, and it's all Oliver Perez intended to do against the Cardinals on Sunday night.

Consider it mission accomplished.

His stat line -- nine hits, five runs, 5 2/3 innings -- does no justice to the performance Perez delivered in front of 46,600 fans and a primetime TV audience.

He braved one disturbance after another to keep the Cardinals within reach of a Mets offense that finally came bursting to life, lifted by the power of Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran and David Wright in the heart of that lethal order.

"I did what I needed to do," a visibly relieved Perez said after the Mets' 12-5 victory tied the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. "Most important, I kept us in the game. I feel good about that. I gave us a chance to win.