So I had the day off yesterday and was driving back from the beach with the game on the radio... Ramon Castro hits a two-run homer to put the Mets up 5-1.

I stopped off at my aunt and uncle's house on the way home and they already had the TV switched to something other than the Phillies' game.

I'm sure they weren't alone.

Of course, we all know how last night ended. As most of the disgruntled Delaware Valley fan base was either nodding off to sleep or watching the latest American Idol-like reality show retread, the Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies came back from a 5-2 deficit by exploding for six runs in the top of the 9th inning.

It was nice to watch from home, away from the the pressures of early deadlines (and the urine-smelling, rat-infested Shea Stadium).

The lesson here (there is a point to this incessant rambling) is there are a lot of things you can say about this Phillies team (they're offense is inconsistent, they're starting pitching can be mediocre, etc.), but you can knock the team's ability to finish strong.

For the last few years, regardless of the score, they always seem to come on late.

Remember the last two times they played the Mets before last night?

Jayson Werth homered off Billy Wagner in the bottom of the 9th of a three-hour rain delayed game. The Phillies lost in extra innings.

The next night, the Phils rallied back from a 9-1 deficit with a trio of late home runs, only to lose 10-9.

I guess the third time was a charm. and you've been warned -- resist the temptation to change the channel when things are going bad.

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In case you missed it, here are the highlights of last night's wild win, including the big hit from So Taguchi (So Taguchi!) from sports editor Rob Parent.

Also, columnist Jack McCaffery opines on the first game of the battle for first place at Shea.

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Big Mo

I remember back when I was a kid, my hockey coach told our team we had acquired another player before a big playoff game. Some dude named Big Mo.

We had no idea who this guy was, but we figured he must have a pretty wicked hard slap shot.

As it turned out, it wasn't an actual person we were getting. It was momentum.

While flipping the TV channels last night, I heard some talking heads say the Phils now have the momentum in the NL East.

But don't forget the baseball cliche: Momentum only goes as far as the next day's starting pitcher can take it.

Brett Myers, returning from his minor league tour, starts for the Phillies tonight. This can go one of two ways, and if goes bad, the Phils may have lost more than momentum in New York.