"There's got to be a way out of this"
The New York Mets narrowly avoided an ugly, ugly loss at the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday afternoon. With 2 outs in the top of the 10th inning, Fernando Tatis was hit by a pitch for the 2nd time in the game, then stole 2nd base. Ryan Church then singled, scoring Tatis with the eventual winning run as the Mets held the lead this time to win 9-8.
WTF! WJH?
With a 2 run lead in the bottom of the 9th, Jerry Manuel summoned Francisco Rodriguez from the bullpen to close out the last place Pirates. Pinch hitter Freddy Sanchez singled, then 1B Adam LaRoche hit a long 2-run homer to right center, sending the game to extra innings and reminding the Mets how unhappy he was that the Mets considered the concept of losing to the Pirates embarrassing.
Tim Redding and Paul Maholm
Both starting pitchers were ugly. Tim Redding just got there first. Redding only lasted 2 1/3 innings, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. Paul Maholm soon met Redding in the shower (insert joke here). Maholm lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing 6 runs on 11 hits. With both starters gone, the Mets held a 6-5 lead after 5 innings.
Gratuitous ugly Pirate pic #1
Tatis hit a 2-run homer in the 6th inning and the Mets had a comfortable 8-5 lead. Pat Misch, Elmer Dessens and Brian Stokes combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings as the Mets held the lead. In the 7th, Pedro Feliciano gave up a solo homer to obscure Pirate bench player Garrett Jones to cut the lead to 8-6. Jones fell a single short of hitting for the cycle.
Gratuitous ugly Pirate pic #2
If you were actually reading above, or watching or listening to the game, you know what happened next. The Mets now head across the Keystone State to meet the Philadelphia Phillies on a 2 game winning streak.
Some game notes:
Tomorrow the Mets will be in their 3rd different city in 3 days, the 1st time that has happened to them since 1995. Omir Santos‘ 9th inning double broke an 0 for 19 skid. Today the Mets scored multiple runs in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. It was the 1st time the Mets have scored multiple runs in 3 consecutive innings since 9/9/08.
Please visit yahoo.com for the box score.
37 comments
stickguy
7/2/2009-6:55pm at 6:55 pm (UTC -4)
If it’s Friday, this must be Philly…
Hmm, only MF4D is likely to get that reference…
I gotta admit, after Tuesday, I was not expecting to see .500 anytime soon.
If nothing else, you can officially put away the whole “the mets dont have heart/grit/balls” BS line of thinking.
Hopefully the resiliency they are showing carries over when they add some more talent!
ANd it is truly amazing that they will arrive in Philly either 2, 1.5 or 1 out of 1st!
this weekend should help the O come back to life. 3 in CBP, against Lopez, Blanton and Moyer?
If you can’t score runs in those games, you never will.
sweeep baby!
metsfan4decades
7/2/2009-7:23pm at 7:23 pm (UTC -4)
hahahahaha – good one.
steveo
7/2/2009-7:29pm at 7:29 pm (UTC -4)
We gotta win this series
metsfan4decades
7/2/2009-7:30pm at 7:30 pm (UTC -4)
Nice win.
We got lucky today. Our offense is anemic and how often are we going to be lucky enough to run into a starter where we can actually get some runs? And they did us a favor by leaving him in through 5 so we could get some runs. –Unlike Jerry, who pulled Redding in the 3rd, which was absolutely the right move.
Jerry also used that BP very effectively today. Put the ‘scrubs’ in first, they managed to get the job done, get to the late innings for our better guys. Still, we barely pulled this out. Kudos to all that contributed especially Church, Tatis and yes KRod for going back out in the 10th and getting it done – finally.
Here’s hoping we’ll be able to score many and often tomorrow night against Lopez. Also may Livan go deep to give most of the used BP a day off, especially KRod.
Bring ‘em on.
stickguy
7/2/2009-7:49pm at 7:49 pm (UTC -4)
luck evens out over a 162 day season.
and frankly, they are going to see 3 mediocre to scrub pitchers this weekend too. 2 out of 3 is almost a must to keep any of this momentum going.
No idea what to expect out of the Dodgers series (hopefully they decide to cool down a touch), but then 3 vs. Cinci at home?
I’m actually seeing a realistic chance they do hit the ASb at .500 or better, and close enough to be in the race.
and at least Atl, hous, wash, colo (1st 3 on the rouad) to finish July isn’t too brutal, even with a 10 game road trip.
Now, when will any of the “reinforcements” arrive?
gategem
7/2/2009-8:48pm at 8:48 pm (UTC -4)
The cable went out with the Mets leading 8-5. Suffice it to say I was surprised to see they won in 10. This was a great offensive performance by an offensively challenged team. It would have been a shame to waist it.
Win a couple of games and hope springs eternal. Lose the next two and its back up to the ledge again. Let’s take it one game at a time and enjoy each victory. Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. As Ralph Kiner once said, and I paraphrase, baseball is like water in that it seeks its own level. Look at Omir Santos. He burst on the scene with some impressive hits and Mets fans were celebrating Omar’s find of the next Johnny Bench. Never mind that Santos’ minor league stats were worse the Castro’s major league stats. I remember Ted Berg cautioning against the Mets trading away Castro and keeping Santos. Well Santos has been descending to his career level of performance. I don’t know what Castro is doing nor do I care because in the end both Castro and Santos will descend or ascend to the career performance level.
gategem
7/2/2009-8:50pm at 8:50 pm (UTC -4)
lol My “waist” line is expanding. Come to think about it so is my waste.
metsfan4decades
7/2/2009-7:31pm at 7:31 pm (UTC -4)
And oh, those graphics. Where do you find these? LOL.
trs86
7/2/2009-7:32pm at 7:32 pm (UTC -4)
Whoa, that’s an ugly woman, you should not do that after a win.
gategem
7/2/2009-8:51pm at 8:51 pm (UTC -4)
She must live in Philadelphia.
trs86
7/2/2009-7:38pm at 7:38 pm (UTC -4)
Cubs released Ryan Freel, I think he would be a decent pickup and send Fmart down.
stickguy
7/2/2009-7:50pm at 7:50 pm (UTC -4)
well, he got released for a reason. YTD #s that even A Reyes would laugh at!
trs86
7/2/2009-7:59pm at 7:59 pm (UTC -4)
But you know his history is not those numbers.
gategem
7/3/2009-2:28am at 2:28 am (UTC -4)
Good point.
mrose
7/2/2009-7:43pm at 7:43 pm (UTC -4)
Marlins signed Luis Ayala – http://www.nleastchatter.com/2009/07/02/marlins-player-news-luis-ayala-signs/
metsfan4decades
7/2/2009-7:45pm at 7:45 pm (UTC -4)
Interesting….I guess I haven’t been paying enough attention to the Marlins but if they signed Ayala, their BP must really need some help….
stickguy
7/2/2009-7:50pm at 7:50 pm (UTC -4)
this is actually a win win for the Mets. The Marlin opponents get to hit off of him, and Omar didn’t sign him again.
trs86
7/2/2009-8:00pm at 8:00 pm (UTC -4)
He was actually not that bad for us, pitching injured in the closer’s role was not his fault.
trs86
7/2/2009-8:11pm at 8:11 pm (UTC -4)
CHEAP PLUG.
LOL
mrose
7/2/2009-10:36pm at 10:36 pm (UTC -4)
cheap plug? lol…its news about a former mets player and people mentioned him on here the other day
QnsNative718
7/2/2009-8:10pm at 8:10 pm (UTC -4)
MmMmMmMmMm, nothing like a hanging gut past the knees. Anyway, great win. I counted the Mets out as Im sure 99.5% of you did, but they fought back and were dare I say…scrappy? Good way to go into Philly.
trs86
7/2/2009-8:11pm at 8:11 pm (UTC -4)
Count me in the .5% it is the Pirates.
QnsNative718
7/2/2009-8:12pm at 8:12 pm (UTC -4)
and we are the Mets minus Delgado, Beltran & Reyes. lol
trs86
7/2/2009-8:16pm at 8:16 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah but it was so early that we were down, I knew we would make it a game.
QnsNative718
7/2/2009-8:21pm at 8:21 pm (UTC -4)
Yea thats true, it was pretty early. As Jerry alluded to, this couldve been a situation where the players mentally forfeited and was just looking forward to their series in Philly. Nice to see that wasnt the case.
QnsNative718
7/2/2009-8:17pm at 8:17 pm (UTC -4)
Also considering the Pirates owned us a few wks back and are in a very competitive Central Div., I dont think theyre a team to raise a nose at.
trs86
7/2/2009-9:06pm at 9:06 pm (UTC -4)
Ask Beltran about that.
QnsNative718
7/2/2009-9:18pm at 9:18 pm (UTC -4)
ouch..
stickguy
7/2/2009-9:54pm at 9:54 pm (UTC -4)
Now lets see the Pirates help the Mets out some more, and go down and beat the Fish a few times!
trs86
7/2/2009-10:20pm at 10:20 pm (UTC -4)
Welcome to 1 game back boys. He he he Phillies.
mrose
7/2/2009-10:37pm at 10:37 pm (UTC -4)
yea Madson has been horrendous….great to see
trs86
7/2/2009-10:51pm at 10:51 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed, with a terrible Lidge and Madson they are getting a dose of 2008 Mets.
mrose
7/2/2009-11:33pm at 11:33 pm (UTC -4)
yup, its not fun! reading the twitter messages from the phillies blogs and newws sources…it sure sounds familiar
stickguy
7/2/2009-11:33pm at 11:33 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe there is something to be said for the mental aspect of pitching the 9th vs. the 8th? It really shouldn’t matter, but maybe the pressure of the closer title gets to guys, and they press?
Madson was lights out when Lidge went down and he got bumped up to closer, at which point he totally fell apart.
The philly paper today had a piece on the tirals of the Phils, and I believe they said he was overthrowing (looking for the extra 2 mph) and pitching up in the zone.
But, as long as Lidge and Madson continue to get poiunded this weekend, fine by me!
gategem
7/3/2009-2:44am at 2:44 am (UTC -4)
lol Stickguy I just read your comment at Metsblog:
“how about just blow them and so a closer is a moot point?â€
Would you care to elaborate? lol (j/k)
stickguy
7/3/2009-9:14am at 9:14 am (UTC -4)
so, I forget the “out” You people have sick minds.
darknova306
7/3/2009-2:59am at 2:59 am (UTC -4)
But we could be 4 games back by Monday… And for as bad as the Phills have played recently, we’ve been just as bad. Let’s try not to walk in the winning run this time, eh? We should’ve saved some of today’s runs for tomorrow…