The Philadelphia Phillies’ Shane Victorino hit a two-out, ninth-inning single Friday night to beat the New York Mets 3-2 and again waste a stellar outing by starter Johan Santana.

Santana gave up just two runs and six hits over eight innings, and reliever Duaner Sanchez struck out Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell to start the ninth inning. But Sanchez hung a changeup and got beat by Pedro Feliz for a double before unsuccessfully challenging Victorino with an inside fastball. Game over.

The Mets broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth when Jose Reyes beat out a double play to let Damion Easley score from third. They added a second run when David Wright walked with the bases loaded, but the Mets failed to put the game away when Carlos Beltran struck out swinging to strand three runners.

Meanwhile, Santana was working his mastery, needing only 50 pitches through five innings. Santana got into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the sixth - throwing 22 pitches as the Phils hit four singles to tie the game at two - but he settled in again for the seventh and eighth. Perhaps Manuel should have left him in for the ninth.

Santana lost his bid for a no hitter on the first batter when Jayson Werth singled to left. That advanced our NoNoHitters.com count to 7,406 New York Mets games without a no hitter and makes the 903rd time in franchise history (and the 24th time this season) that a Mets game has begun with a leadoff hit by their opponent. (Check out our No hitters killed by first at bat for more details.)

Seattle Mariners starter Felix Hernandez hit the first grand slam by an American League pitcher in 37 years Monday to lead the Mariners to a 5-2 win over the New York Mets.

The last time that happened, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was in 1971 when Cleveland pitcher Steve Dunning homered off of the Oakland A’s Diego Segui.

Monday night’s slam off Mets’ ace Johan Santana followed a David Wright error, so none of the runs were earned. Santana lost his no hitter in the first inning when Jose Lopez singled to left, increasing the NoNoHitters.com count to 7,395 games without a New York Mets no hitter.

Day One of the Mets’ Jerry Manuel era ended in a 6-1 loss.

The apparently tired New York Mets committed three errors and managed just six hits, and ace starter Johan Santana yielded five runs (four of them earned), a pair of walks and eight hits in six innings of work to take the loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and other various surrounding California metro areas.

Perhaps that’s what happens when a team makes a managerial change at 3:15 a.m. EDT. That doesn’t exactly help rest the squad after a playing a night game after a three hour flight.

Willie Randolph’s firing also did little to change the Mets’ no hit fortunes. Santana gave up a first inning single to Maicer Izturis to boost the NoNoHitters.com count to 7,390 games without a Mets no hitter.

Well, so much for a little momentum building leading up to my Friday night trek to Shea.

After starting the season with nine innings of perfection, Mets closer Billy Wagner blew another save attempt Thursday to waste a stellar performance by Johan Santana, who struck out 10 batters in seven innings while giving up no earned runs and just three hits and three walks.

I was following the Mets’ 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday via Wrigley Field’s out-of-town scoreboard, which looked perfect for the Mets up until reliever Joe Smith gave up a two-run-scoring triple in the eighth, followed by Wagner’s breakdown in the ninth.

Once I saw “13″ under “RP” (relief pitcher), I assumed the game was in hand. You know what they say about assume.

Santana took his no hitter into the third inning, when Chris Young hit a two-out single to center to bump our NoNoHitters.com count up to 7,385 games without a no hitter.

The New York Mets lost another 2-1 game Friday night, and again it began with a leadoff hit.

This time, Scott Hairston opened the game with a single to bump the NoNoHiiters.com count up to 7,380 New York Mets games without a no hitter. That’s 898 games that have begun with a hit, so our No hitters killed by first at bat page has again been updated.

For the second straight night, the Mets wasted a strong starting pitching performance with an offense that never showed up. Johan Santana gave up just one earned run in six innings but took the “L.”

Johan Santana pitched 7 2/3 strong innings Sunday night to lead the New York Mets to a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and bring the team back over .500.

Juan Pierre again had a leadoff hit - this time a double - to drive the NoNoHitters.com count to 7,375 games without a no-no. It’s the 894th time a Mets pitcher has yielded an opening hit, so we’ve again updated our No hitters killed by first at bat page.

Santana (7-3) yielded just four additional hits, giving up just one earned run while striking out six. Scott Schowenweis got the third out in the eighth after Joe Smith came in for Santana but hit the only batter he faced. Pedro Feliciano pitched a flawless ninth to seal the game.

Ryan Church returned to the lineup with a 3-for-4 day with a home run and two RBIs. David Wright also went 3-for-4, and Beltran hit a two-run homer.

It wasn’t a no hitter, but Johan Santana pitched seven strong innings Tuesday night to lead the New York Mets to a 5-3 victory over the first-place Florida Marlins. Santana struck out seven while giving up three earned runs and eight hits, and Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner each pitched a scoreless inning to seal Santana’s “W.”

It once again was Mike Jacobs who spoiled the no-hit bid, this time with a leadoff single in the second inning. The 46-year-old streak continues with the count climbing to 7,370 Mets games without a no hitter.

The Mets dropped the final game of the series to Atlanta by a score of 4-2. The Mets only scoring came on solo homeruns from Beltran and Delgado. No no hitter tonight as the Braves’ Mark Kotsay singled to center off of Johan Santana in the 1st inning. Time to flee Georgia and head out to Colorado!

Johan Santana pitched 7 2/3 innings, getting help from homers by Jose Reyes and David Wright to top the Yankees in the opening game of an abbreviated Subway Series. Billy Wagner came in for the final four outs to earn his 9th save of the year. Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu homered for the Yankees as they fell to three games under .500. Hopes for a No Hitter were dashed early in the first inning as Matt Damon walked, Abreu struck out and then Jeter homered.