Oliver Perez’s control was just perfect last night, but only if the old George Carlin joke applied. Carlin’s suggestion to speed up the game: Hit the batter, he’s out.
Perez tied a major league record by plunking three batters in the same inning, contributing to the left-hander’s downfall against the Marlins.
Perez’s reputation as a big-game pitcher took a hit, as he allowed six earned runs over 32/3 innings in the Mets’ 7-4 loss at Shea Stadium. Perez’s letdown couldn’t have come at a worse time, and the Mets now trail the Phillies by one game in the NL East.
“I was trying to help my team, and sometimes you don’t pitch well,” Perez said. “You just have to learn and try to be ready for [today] because we have another game, and I’m available.”
Perez (15-10) already was in trouble in the third inning, trailing 2-1 with runners on second and third with nobody out when he drilled Dan Uggla to load the bases. Later in the inning, he nailed Cody Ross then Mike Jacobs, each time forcing home a run. Perez became the first pitcher in Mets history to hit three batters in the same inning – it’s happened numerous times in major league history.
“Obviously he lost his release point,” manager Willie Randolph said. “That’s been his Achilles’ heel at times.”
Perez entered last night as the Mets’ most consistent starting pitcher since early August – he had gone seven starts without allowing more than three earned runs But when it rains, there’s a deluge.
“I was just trying to help my team,” Perez said. “And I didn’t.”
mpuma@nypost.com