As the bullpen door swung open in the sixth inning Tuesday night, a wave of hope rippled through the stands at Citi Field.
The Mets were at it again, falling into a hole, before showing signs of bashing their way out of it. The responsibility to keep the good vibes flowing fell to Bobby Parnell.
His job was simple. After watching the Mets cut their six-run deficit against the Phillies to two, it was on the righthander to hold the line.
Instead, Parnell's disastrous outing in a 14-8 loss displayed the Mets' biggest vulnerability.
While Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia have given the Mets a steady lockdown presence late in games, the rest of the Mets bullpen has faltered.