Column: Paul Auster, a novelist in the press box for a day

Photo credit: Game Face

World-renowned author Paul Auster observes pitching warm-ups on Wednesday afternoon, May 13, 2009, at Citi Field, before the New York Mets lost 8-7 to the Atlanta Braves in 12 innings. (Rj Mickelson/amNewYork)

By Max J. Dickstein

amNewYork Sports Editor

Publishing 12 novels doesn’t necessarily prepare you for deadline sportswriting, but Paul Auster handled the job with ease.

(On Thursday, we published his terse recap of the Mets’ tense 8-7 loss on Wednesday.)

[NOTE: See Auster's writeup after the jump]

“It’s just a game after all, but it’s only fun if you take it seriously,” the Brooklyn-based, world-renowned writer told me at Citi Field on Wednesday, when amNewYork got the lifelong Mets fan a seat in the press box for the first time.

In his youth, Auster played shortstop and followed Willie Mays’ New York Giants. “That’s all I did,” he said. “Play, play, play.” After the Giants fled to California in 1957, he adopted the Mets. In April 1962, he was among 9,231 fans at the Polo Grounds on a drizzly day for the expansion Mets’ third game.

Heeding his own words on Wednesday (“take it seriously”), Auster jotted his crisp play-by-play into a black leather notebook.

He occasionally stifled a cheer or exhortation (both are unwelcome in the media area). “That’s good!” he exclaimed after Mets starter Jonathan Niese coaxed an Atlanta Braves groundout. “For him. I’m not supposed to root.”

After the Mets lost, Auster tore three sheets of paper from the black notebook and penned his story in the time it took for him to smoke two Schimmelpenninck cigarillos.

We had observed the Mets’ locker room after the game, but it was getting late. “I’m 62 years old,” Auster said. “It’s OK if I don’t meet Jose Reyes.”Mets K’d in seesaw tilt

Extra-inning loss a painful end to 8-2 homestand

By Paul Auster

Special to amNewYork

The Mets ended a successful homestand Wednesday afternoon with a painful 8-7 loss to the Atlanta Braves in 12 innings.

The lead changed hands for the sixth and final time with one out in the 12th, when Martin Prado homered off Ken Takahashi, the eighth pitcher used by manager Jerry Manuel.

After Tuesday night’s stirring come-from-behind win, 4-3 in 10 innings, the Mets sent young Jonathan Niese to the mound for the rubber match of the three-game series. The 22-year-old left-hander had pitched well in his only other start this season; with Oliver Perez on the disabled list, Niese is fighting for a spot in the starting rotation.

He lasted just 4 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and five runs and allowing Chipper Jones and Garret Anderson to go 5-for-5, with three doubles.

After the Braves took a 4-2 lead in the third, Fernando Tatis electrified the crowd of 40,555 in the fourth inning by launching a grand slam over the center-field wall.

The Braves retook a 7-6 lead with single runs in the seventh and eight innings. They were aided by a David Wright error on a potential double-play ground ball and a baserunning gaffe by Jose Reyes, who was thrown out trying to go from second to third on a slow roller to short by Luis Castillo, squelching a scoring opportunity.

Gary Sheffield, given a rare start in left field, tied the game once again at 7-7 with the 501st home run of his career in the eighth.

After Prado’s homer in the 12th, Reyes led off the Mets’ half of the inning with his third double of the day. Following a sacrifice bunt, which put Reyes on third base, Braves reliever Mike Gonzalez bore down to strike out Carlos Beltran and Sheffield.

After an 8-2 homestand, the Mets face a 10-game road trip to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston. The Giants, Dodgers and Red Sox have three of the majors’ best home records.

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