21.   And the Mets were on their way to dropping their third straight game.

22.   And that was when Knicks center Patrick Ewing was on the bench in a suit, sidelined for the second straight game by tendinitis in his left foot.

23.   And the Cowboys won their second straight game without starter Troy Aikman, who was out with a sprained knee, but dressed anyway.

24.   And so, for the third straight game, they did not prevail.

25.   And yes, that was Tino Martinez swatting a home run for the fourth straight game for the first time in his career.

26.   And the Yankees, you might remember, rebounded in Atlanta to win three straight games and then returned to New York to wrap up the proceedings.

27.   And things have certainly gone wrong this season for the Eagles, who have lost five straight games because the offense has gone to sleep.

28.   Angels second baseman Luis Alicea missed his second straight game after suffering a right shoulder injury against Milwaukee Saturday.

29.   At that point the momentum the Kings had built while winning four straight games against Detroit in the first round seemed but a memory.

30.   At this point last season Chicago had lost four straight games before winning one.