The Mets avoided a sweep by the Phillies in Philadelphia today, beating the Phils by a score of 7-4. Mike Pelfrey (7-10) got the win, Kyle Kendrick (7-6) took the loss. Bobby Parnell got the final three outs to record his first save.
Nick Evans put the Mets on top in the first.
Pelfrey threw 125 pitches in 6 innings, a lot of them of the “high stress” variety. Pelfrey darted in and out of trouble all game long, but ended up surrenduring only 3 runs, all in the second inning. A gutsy performance by Pelf, who exchanged words with Placido Polanco in the sixth following an inside slider. Polanco popped out to RF on the next pitch. In his Mets tenure, Pelfrey has been nothing if not durable – this isn’t the first time he’s turned in a high pitch count performance for New York.
Bobby Parnell made his long-awaited debut as a closer, walking 2, but getting out of trouble, with the help of 2 strikeouts, to get the save. It was a K-Roddian performance. Who knows, maybe Parnell is the kind of pitcher that thrives on ninth-inning adrenaline, ala Billy Wagner. Manny Acosta turned in a refreshingly solid middle-relief outing, holding the Phillies runless for 1.2 innings.
Nick Evans led the offense, going 3 for 4 with 3-run homer (2) in the first, and fell a triple short of the cycle. Evans has 5 hits in his last 6 at bats, taking advantage of his new starting role at first base. David Wright added an opposite-field solo shot (11) in the third. He also finished 3 for 4. The Mets pounded out 11 hits, but also committed 3 errors. In particular, Ruben Tejada and Justin Turner seem to have had trouble turning the double play over the past few games.
The Phillies collected 12 hits of their own, but could only muster 3 runs against Pelfrey and 1 against Tim Byrdak.
The controversy in the sixth came when the Mets thought Polanco tried to extend his elbow out to intentially get hit by Pelfrey’s slider. This prompted Phillies announcer Gary Matthews, and father of failed Met Gary Matthews, Jr., to call the Mets “crybabies.” Pelfrey responded post game by reportedly saying he was called worse by Mets fans pregame. Said Pelfrey, “You might be a nice guy. Try volleyball.” The Phillies’ puzzling obsession with the Mets seems never-ending, no matter how many games separate the two teams.
But the real story was Pelfrey’s performance on the mound. He had more ground outs than fly outs, and pitched to contact – sometimes a little too much contact. But he didn’t whither in the face of adversity, and pitched with a competitive fire en route to helping the Mets break their 5-game losing streak.
13 comments
MetsFan4Decades
8/24/2011-10:08pm at 10:08 pm (UTC -4)
Now that was one of the more interesting games I’ve watched all season.
As you said Paul: ‘The Phillies’ puzzling obsession with the Mets seems never-ending, no matter how many games separate the two teams.”
I couldn’t agree more. This is the same team that climbed over the Mets in ’07 to win the division – after the Beltran proclamation of ‘we’re the team to beat’.
The same Philly team who won the WS in ’08. And during their parade of whiners in Philly, they still had to throw a comment out there concerning the Mets.
Really, how many divisions do they have to win while we falter before we get out of their heads?
Anonymous
8/24/2011-11:28pm at 11:28 pm (UTC -4)
it is a philly thing. They have a deep seated inferiority complex to NY in general, and it extends to the sports world.
Metsguppy
8/25/2011-1:24am at 1:24 am (UTC -4)
Its more an inferiority complex about the city of New York than the Mets team. The Mets team has rarely intimidated anyone but New York City is obviously better than Philadelphia and the Philly fans are jealous. At one point Philadelphia was the biggest and most important city in the United States but now its New York City and they have always been jealous of that.
MetsFan4Decades
8/24/2011-10:16pm at 10:16 pm (UTC -4)
Moving on to the game….
So, even though it took what felt like a week, some 120+ pitches to accomplish, does a better than 6 IP and 3 runs qualify as a quality start?
Oh Pelf….
Good to see the junior core getting it done.
Evans swinging the bat better now that he’s getting more than just a PH appearance here and there and was the offense star today.
Duda continues to hit with one RBI today.
Wright with 3 hits and a couple of RBIs as well.
But oh, Bay is just done.
Our BP still needs to be turned over but nice to see them hold on for the win and Parnell get that save. Don’t know if it was nerves or not, but Parnell doesn’t seem to start off strong. His velocity is down until a couple of batters in. Wonder if he needs longer to warm up?
Anyway, about the best we could have expected: taking 1 of 3.
Paul Festa
8/24/2011-6:34pm at 6:34 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I’ve noticed that about Parnell, too. He starts in the mid-90s and ends up over 100.
Anonymous
8/24/2011-11:31pm at 11:31 pm (UTC -4)
yeah, Bay is toast. just stick the fork in him. If they can get anything at all back (think when the Mets trade for Gm JR) take it and run.
Pelf? This, sadly, is about the best you might ever get. A ton of runners, and a miracle to keep them in the game. I won’t miss him, though I suppose he could blossom elsewhere, you really think he will do it here?
Oh, Warthen needs to go. I said he should have gone in the purge, but man, is there one thing pitching related you can point to to indicate he added 1 iota of positive value?
Anonymous
8/24/2011-11:58pm at 11:58 pm (UTC -4)
Short of pitching in games for them I’m not sure what Warthen can do to improve this staff of has-beens, never were and presently not there pitchers. He’s not Dave Duncan and even Mr. Duncan doesn’t walk on water. An omnipotent being is needed to transform this staff.
Anonymous
8/25/2011-12:14am at 12:14 am (UTC -4)
anyone incorporate a new pitch? Show any signs of a new approach? If not, then just fire him and don’t replace him because the position is meaningless.
every time I hear about a talented young guy like Neise (who I still think has potential to be very good) not having a plan, being prepared, anything like that (or not throwing certain pitches) I always think “isn’t that the PCs job to manage all that?”
In essence, you seem to think that only a special PC could improve Met pitchers, and Warthen isn’t one. So pretty much, you agree he should be canned, right?
Anonymous
8/25/2011-4:22pm at 4:22 pm (UTC -4)
A teacher is only as good as his students. A case in point is Leo Mazzone that went from a genius with the Braves to incompetent with the Orioles. Hmm, I wonder what could have changed to lower Mazzone’s pitching IQ from genius to idiot overnight? Another case is Mel Stottlemyre considered an outstanding pitching coach with the Mets yet with the Yankees I know of many Yankees fans that looked at him the same way you do Warthen.
The fact is that Neise developed his cutter under Warthen’s tutelage and Pelfrey his split finger fastball. I know of some other pitchers he worked with on new pitches but they were not successful in learning how to throw it. Addition of pitches, major delivery changes, etc. generally occur during ST and many of these we never hear about especially if the pitcher is unsuccessful. It’s difficult during a season to make significant changes as the pitcher doesn’t have the opportunity or time to work on them.
BTW I have had the opportunity to wittness other games via MLB’s extra innings package and I’ve seen many pitchers that I’m unfamiliar with and can’t remember their names (a problem with getting old) that were more talented than Neise. You’re overrating Neise’s ability. We don’t know what transpires between Warthen and his pitchers between games and between innings. So, you can’t blame Warthen if Neise or some other pitcher is not capable of making adjustments during a game even if instructed properly by Warthen. The Mets will fire Warthen if they determine he is not competent.
Anonymous
8/24/2011-11:59pm at 11:59 pm (UTC -4)
So this is what a win feels like. I’d almost forgotten the feeling and it is good.
Anonymous
8/25/2011-12:15am at 12:15 am (UTC -4)
Is bay really 2 for his last 38? If so, he is even more mind blowingly bad than I thought he was. That’s bad for a pitcher!
Paul J. Festa
8/25/2011-1:38am at 1:38 am (UTC -4)
Yes, I’ve officially run out of patience with Jason Bay. And obviously, I have a lot of patience.
Anonymous
8/25/2011-12:56am at 12:56 am (UTC -4)
125 pitches in 6 innings is just dreadful, man only gave up 3 runs but jeeze on the pitch count and yapping at Polanco. Nice to see Evans get some AB’s and produce in a small sample size. As for Parnell I think it’s a stretch to assume he’s any type pitcher since to me I think he is still strictly a thrower and not a pitcher. When he actually gets a clue and learns to throw breaking stuff in the dirt with an 0-2 count instead of a fastball down the middle then he might actually graduate to Pitcher.