The Mets New York Mets split, beating the Reds 12-6 in the afternoon before losing 7-1 in the nightcap.

For Pelfrey, who allowed two runs over six innings, this was a step in the right direction after three straight brutal performances.

"Compared to the last three, I thought I threw the ball well," said Pelfrey, who allowed eight hits and walked one.

"I thought, probably, it was [Pelfrey's] best outing of the year," manager Willie Randolph said. "Even though we lost the game, I thought it was a positive outing for the kid and hopefully a step forward."

Then it got ugly in the ninth, with Billy Wagner surrendering three runs, all of them unearned because of errors by David Wright and Carlos Delgado.