(My Sportsbook) - The New York Mets seemingly hit rock bottom on Thursday after losing to the lowly Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 and dropping three of the four games in the mid-week series. While the team is in a state of transition from struggling veterans to hopeful youngsters, it is still tough to stomach a dismal stretch as the team is in right now.

New York has lost seven of its last nine contests and fallen an embarrassing 27 games out of first place in the NL East standings. At 44-64 on the season, only the San Diego Padres have a worse record in the National League.

The bad bounces and lackadaisical play continued for New York in yesterday's loss. Tony Clark made a base running miscue in the seventh inning, as he was doubled up at second base after misreading a line drive off of the bat of Jeff Duncan.

"When you're struggling to score runs, a play like that can become a lot more than it normally would," Clark said in the Star-Ledger following the game.

The most embarrassing play of the afternoon came in the eighth inning when a pitch from Ed Almonte shot off of catcher Jason Phillips and allowed Eddie Perez to score from second base. Perez, who is widely regarded as one of the slowest players in all of baseball, was able to reach the plate after Phillips lost sight of the ball and Clark failed to react to the play as dribbled by the first base side of the field.

"It was an interesting bounce," said Clark, who eventually snatched up the ball. "To make matters worse, it kind of ricocheted into the corner without going into the dugout. It's one of those things where you don't read it coming off the catcher."

"You don't see a guy score from second on a wild pitch very often," Mets manager Art Howe said in New York Newsday. "The ball went in the exact spot where it had to go."

While Howe needed to make excuses for the awkward bounce, he didn't have to when referring to the performance he received from Aaron Heilman yesterday. While the young starter had control problems and walked six batters during the contest, he also surrendered just two runs to the Brewers and racked up seven strikeouts in the loss.

"He did his job, he kept us in the game," Howe said. "He was around the plate, but it seemed like once an inning he'd walk somebody. Two runs, you'd take that every day."

Although Heilman dropped to 1-4 on the season and performed one of the cardinal sins of baseball, walking Milwaukee's pitcher, he did show signs of encouragement and stood tall on the mound yesterday. Hopefully experience and time will help Heilman and the rest of the Mets put behind them this current stretch of 17 losses in their past 22 games played and give hope to a brighter future in Flushing.

WHO'S HOT

Phillips is sad to see July come to an end, as he recorded the second-most hits by a rookie in club history during a month of play, with 36. Jay Payton holds the team-record after slapping 37 base hits during the June of 2000.

Young shortstop Jose Reyes has found his stroke over his last 22 games, batting .330 with eight RBI and five stolen bases.

WHO'S NOT

While Phillips has been red hot during July, catcher Vance Wilson has been ice cold and is mired in a 1-for-40 slump. Wilson hit just .179 during the month and failed to hit a home run.

Outfielder Roger Cedeno continues to struggle at the dish and on the base paths, batting .183 this past month and was caught stealing in his only attempt to advance an extra base.

COMING UP

The Mets will open up a three-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals from Shea Stadium tonight. New York will have Monday off, but will resume play on Tuesday when it takes on the Houston Astros in a three-game series from Minute Maid Park.