R.A. Dickey was handed the ball tonight and used his knuckle ball to bring his team to .500. James McDonald was his counterpart and did everything to lose the game. Jason Bay was back in the line-up trying to break his 0-23 streak.
The Mets did everything right tonight to win. They strung base hits together, drew walks and had some good starting pitching from R.A. Dickey, who pitched a complete game loss. Unfortunately, it came down to a Murphy mis-play at third off of a hit by McCutchen that cost the Mets the lead; That coupled with 9 Mets stranded on base resulted in a Met loss.
The Mets jumped on McDonald early with three straight hits from Reyes, Tejada and Beltran to score the first run of the game. The Pirates came right back in the bottom of the frame to draw even off a walk and a misplayed deep fly ball. Dickey ran into trouble in the 3rd when a walk, base hit and and misplayed shot to Murphy playing third allowed the Pirates to score two runs and take the lead.
Jason Bayhit a jam bloop shot into center field to break his 0-23 slump in the top of the fourth and with Pagan on second, the Mets were in business. A Ronny Paulino base hit loaded the bases but Dickey hit into a double play and squashed the threat. The Mets would score in the top of the fifth when Jose Reyes led off with yet another base hit and was pushed home by Carlos Beltran’s for his 37th RBI. Murphy would get on base via base hit, but Bay would strike out to end the inning.
The Mets would threaten to tie the game in the eighth inning but with men on second and third, the Mets failed to get a two out hit.
The Mets would go quietly in the ninth.
Side Notes: Again, Jose Reyes is on fire at the plate and on the field- he has 32 multi-hit games. R.A. drew a walk in the second inning and actually moved to second on a base hit, luckily for him, the Pirates got the Mets out. I would dread watching him limp or push a sprint home. I know Murphy can hit but he just can’t play the infield-and yes I know he tries so hard to do it.
5 comments
metsfan4decades
6/11/2011-9:45pm at 9:45 pm (UTC -4)
There’s small ball and then there’s small ball, guys. Gotta get that big hit occasionally with men on base.
As you said, they had their chances with McDonald and just didn’t come through.
Good start for RA, not so good for the offense.
Oh, and I hold my breath every time RA has to run the bases.
metsfan4decades
6/11/2011-9:50pm at 9:50 pm (UTC -4)
That and there was no way those 2 runs should have been earned. That was clearly an error on Murph’s part.
Nothing like the home town scorer on your side.
metsfan4decades
6/11/2011-9:46pm at 9:46 pm (UTC -4)
Thayer down, Carrasco back.
Interesting.
stickguy
6/11/2011-11:02pm at 11:02 pm (UTC -4)
Gotta figure he is back for the pen, even though he has been starting? Can’t see them moving capuano to the pen (the only likely choice).
kistics
6/12/2011-9:32am at 9:32 am (UTC -4)
Murph’s defensive mistake was bad, but offense had their chances as well. Like Keith has said all night that McDonald kid was not pitching well. The Mets just didn’t execute with men on base.
Duda actually looked pretty good at the plate. He has hit the balls pretty hard