Stealing Signals: Balking Benitez.

Mets 5, Giants 4 (F/12) - Giants fans are so used to Armando Benitez fucking up right now that it’s just an automatic response of surpise when he actually succeeds. Tonight only fueled those perceptions — Jose Reyes faked Benitez out so badly on the base paths after getting aboard that Benitez balked not once, but twice, the second time allowing Reyes to come home, and then a highly rattled Benitez gave up the walk-off gopher ball to Carlos Delgado (who hit 2 HRs on the night.) Bad relievers are creative — they’re very good at finding new ways to lose a lead.

Red Sox 4, Indians 2 -Youkilis continues his tear with another multi-hit game (and a HR on top of it), and Josh Beckett comes back in the same form that he went on the DL with.

Angels 4, Mariners 1 - Is Ervin Santana ready to try and get back to form? It’s only the Mariners, but after a crappy first inning, he was on lockdown, and he got the run support he needed from a Shea Hillenbrand homer.

Blue Jays 3, Yankees 2 - Roger Clemens is going to make his first start against the White Sox, apparently, but it’s not going to help the further the Yankees fall, now 14.5 out in the AL East.

Marlins 9, Cubs 4 - Lou Piniella apparently called this the worst game of the year due to some of the bonehead plays made by his squad. My vote would have gone to two of the three games last weekend against the Dodgers, but that’s just me.

Brewers 5, Braves 4 - Prince Fielder goes yard for the 17th time, Ben Sheets recovers from a tough start, and John Smoltz gets popped in the same finger he hurt a while back by Sheets (left with a shoulder twinge).

Reds 2, Astros 1 - Redemption shots after screwing up are rare. Reds 1B Scott Hatteberg got one of those shots after not swinging on a hit-and-run play and watching the runner get thrown out. He promptly hit the next pitch out of the park to break the tie.

(Photo: AP/Julie Jacobson)