Thole skipped a single off the front of the mound

"Nothing was as sharp as I needed it to be," said Young.

The Mets finally awakened in the fourth. David Wright opened with a double into the left-center field gap. One out later, Lucas Duda walked and Scott Hairston smashed a double to left, scoring Wright from second. Kirk Nieuwenhuis then sliced a single to left, sending two more runs home. Nieuwenhuis had entered the series batting .133 (6-for-45) since June 16.

Thole skipped a single off the front of the mound and into center field. That ended the night for Young, as Jordany Valdespin came up to pinch hit in the ninth spot. He popped out. Then Ruben Tejada, who fell into a two-strike count, shortened his swing and poked a single through the right side, scoring Nieuwenhuis to make it 5-4. 

Texas rookie Yu Darvish and fellow starters Jake Peavy of the White Sox

The other NL candidates: Arizona second baseman Aaron Hill, Atlanta outfielder Michael Bourn, and St. Louis third baseman David Freese.

The five candidates for the final AL roster spot are all righthanded pitchers: Texas rookie Yu Darvish and fellow starters Jake Peavy of the White Sox and Jason Hammel of Baltimore, and relievers Jonathan Broxton of the Royals and Ernesto Frieri of the Angels.

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval, catcher Buster Posey, and outfielder Melky Cabrera of San Francisco overcame late deficits to win starting spots. Giants ace Matt Cain, who pitched a perfect game in June, made the NL pitching staff.