"As the Mets' season limps toward its conclusion, the progress of individual players will take the spotlight from actual wins and losses.

Manager Terry Collins said late Saturday night that he knew for all the hills his players climb, there would inevitably be some valleys.

Collins had just seen both. Jason Bay ended his 19-game home run drought with a game-tying blast in the sixth, but the Mets lost to the Washington Nationals, 8-7, after a disastrous save attempt by Bobby Parnell, who is auditioning to be the Mets' future closer. "