In Philadelphia, tonight belonged to R.A. Dickey. Despite the favorable pitching matchup for the Phillies- Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee vs. R.a. Dickey- the Mets won the game behind their number two starter. Here’s how it went down.
In the first, the visiting Mets began a rally with Ruben Tejada, who is hitting .320 this season, hitting a leadoff double. The next batter, the beloved Daniel Murphy, scored Tejada on a double of his own. After a Justin Turner strikeout, and an Ike Davis groundout, Jason Bay… did something. He hit a two-run homer to center, scoring Daniel Murphy, putting the Mets up 3-0 in the first inning. Did I mention Cliff Lee was pitching?
The Phillies struck in the third, but could not even the game. Freddy Galvis hit a solo shot to lead off the inning, but otherwise, R.A. Dickey held the Phils scoreless for the rest of his outing. Scott Hairston hit a home run for the Mets in the fifth, which gave Dickey a three-run cushion that he would not relinquish. R.A. finished the night after seven innings of one-run ball, scattering nine hits while striking out seven and walking one. Tonight’s start was Dickey’s 14th straight quality start. In comparison, Dickey’s counterpart finished up after seven innings, allowing four runs on five hits, two of them home runs.
Bobby Parnell proved himself worthy once again this season, bouncing back from April 10, when he allowed a run against Washington, to hold the Phillies scoreless in his inning of work tonight.
There was some trouble in the ninth, but not much. Frank Francisco came into the game in a non-save situation with the Mets up by four after they rallied to score in the top of the inning. Carlos Ruiz doubled with one out. Daniel Murphy made an error on a ball hit by Juan Pierre, allowing Ruiz to score. But that was all the Phillies would get. Shane Victorino struck out to end it, with the Mets earning the 5-2 victory.
Overall, I was very impressed with R.A. tonight. His knuckleball was much, much better than his previous start, allowing him to outduel Cliff Lee. Lee also pitched well, but the few bad pitches he threw were ones the Mets capitalized on.
Tomorrow, the Mets play the Phillies again, with Jon Niese getting the start against Vance Worley. Game time is 4:05. LGM!
33 comments
srt
4/13/2012-10:05pm at 10:05 pm (UTC -4)
Good start to my weekend.
RA gave up a lot of hits but held them to 1 run through his 7 innings of work. Not to take anything away from RA, but this Philly lineup is offense anemic. Been reading about it but saw it first hand tonight.
Talk about anemic offense. Still can’t believe Bay hit a HR.
Parnell looking good. Murphy, not so much there in the 9th.
5 straight games with Met pitchers in double digits with Ks.
On to tomorrow!
ConnorUAF
4/13/2012-10:06pm at 10:06 pm (UTC -4)
Didn’t notice the K’s
Also, has Frank Francisco struck out a batter at the end of every outing?
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:15pm at 10:15 pm (UTC -4)
as long as he is high fiving and hugging Thole, I don’t care how he finishes the inning!
Connoruaf (on phone)
4/13/2012-10:20pm at 10:20 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah I just thought I’d point that out.
The bullpen has been great so far. They’ll come down to earth at some point, but they have convinced me that they’re here to stay.
I liked Collins today mixing up the eighth inning role to keep Rauch fresh. I hope he uses the pen correctly.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:28pm at 10:28 pm (UTC -4)
I was surprised to see Parnell there. Partly because of the defined pecking order, but also because he threw a bunch of pitches his last outing (Wednesday? 55 or so?)
But, it worked.
srt
4/13/2012-10:37pm at 10:37 pm (UTC -4)
The booth gave us that tidbit. Apparently the record is 6 straight games with 10 or more Ks back in 1990.
I believe that FF K to end the game was number 10 on the night.
Ceetar
4/13/2012-11:59pm at 11:59 pm (UTC -4)
Darling was 1 and 6 in that sequence.
Mr North Jersey
4/13/2012-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
5-2 Nice…
NJstuckinTX
4/13/2012-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
Nice recap and solid win for this team. I hope the throw cheese steaks at the Philadelphia-ites on the way to the hotel. Kidding… Sorta.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:14pm at 10:14 pm (UTC -4)
that would be a waste of a good cheesesteak. One of the few good things about Philly!
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:10pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)
that would be your first place NY Mets. Beating the sub-.500 Phillies, to remain undefeated on the road this year!
seriously though, knock on wood but the Phils offense really doesn’t scare you. not like the old days. Just hard to see them with a lot of blowouts, or those patented late game miracle comebacks.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:13pm at 10:13 pm (UTC -4)
one of the real nice things (other than the obvious, beating the phils. I really hate the Phils) is shaking off those 2 horrid looking games vs. the Nats.
and hopefully this does mean that the Phils are going to live and die with their SP being flawless, and that they aren’t.
srt
4/13/2012-10:22pm at 10:22 pm (UTC -4)
Yup, b/c outside of their closer, their BP is nothing special right now either.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:29pm at 10:29 pm (UTC -4)
expect to see Charlie continuing his tradition of running the SP deep, and going straight to the closer!
srt
4/13/2012-10:38pm at 10:38 pm (UTC -4)
Which is why I was surprised when he took Lee out for a PH. I think he was only at something like 85 pitches at that point. Given the fact that he had 2 hits in that game, hindsight – he should have let him bat. LOL.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-11:02pm at 11:02 pm (UTC -4)
I haven’t seen the local paper since last weekend (we were away for the week, got back last night) but I suspect that the panic about the offense will be out in full force by Sunday when I get them again, if the Mets shut the Phils down again tomorrow.
would also be real nice to see the lefties get healthy vs. a RHP. Hopefully his split or whatever he has been living off of isn’t up to snuff!
gategem
4/14/2012-1:36am at 1:36 am (UTC -4)
I heard a rumor that you hate the Phils. Is that true?
Stickguy
4/14/2012-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
I was trying to keep it under wraps for my own safety when I go out in public, but yes, you have outed me. It is true.
Hazmet
4/13/2012-10:18pm at 10:18 pm (UTC -4)
Nice win, nice hit for Bay finally. Still drove me nuts his looking at a 2-0 fastball down the middle with the bases loaded in the ninth. But a good start to the first road trip of the year.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:19pm at 10:19 pm (UTC -4)
on another topic, man, the Braves look horrible. Last September really seems to be carrying over. Marlins not exactly showing off this fabulous new team yet either. Still early of course, but man, they both look to have some issues.
gategem
4/14/2012-1:42am at 1:42 am (UTC -4)
After the Mets had their meltdown in2007 I researched all the teams that had similar meltdowns and found that most basically kept the same on field and off field management and players the following year and most of those teams followed up the meltdown with poor years. The Braves followed that script while the RedSox had major changes in the FO and on field manager.
srt
4/13/2012-10:21pm at 10:21 pm (UTC -4)
On post game, RA all bummed out that he didn’t get credit for a sac bunt on that Thole fail base running blunder.
RA: ‘oh, that’s ridiculous. I don’t get the sac bunt’?
LOL….Think Thole owes him a dinner. Not sure what Josh was thinking there. RA and Terry said he thought it was a foul ball. Gotta look, Josh…..
Ceetar
4/13/2012-11:56pm at 11:56 pm (UTC -4)
Thole’s final comment was funny too. “I don’t think he’s competing for the batting title”
Mr North Jersey
4/13/2012-10:21pm at 10:21 pm (UTC -4)
Looking at the rest of the NL East scores. Everyone is currently tied in their respective games.
srt
4/13/2012-10:28pm at 10:28 pm (UTC -4)
Go Stros.
Go Brewers.
Stickguy
4/13/2012-10:31pm at 10:31 pm (UTC -4)
and of course, the Reds.
srt
4/13/2012-10:41pm at 10:41 pm (UTC -4)
Didn’t realize they were tied too in the 12th.
Braves have 2 on and no out in the 8th with McCan at the plate
gategem
4/14/2012-1:43am at 1:43 am (UTC -4)
Much too early.
Mr North Jersey
4/13/2012-11:09pm at 11:09 pm (UTC -4)
Some Minor League stats to chew on.
Savannah currently have the best team ERA in the S.A.L. (2.39/ERA)
St. Lucie currently have the best team ERA in the F.S.L. (1.87/ERA)
Binghamton currently have the 2nd best team ERA in the E.L. (2.47/ERA)
Buffalo currently is tied for 3rd best team ERA in the I.L. (3.00/ERA)
srt
4/14/2012-8:36am at 8:36 am (UTC -4)
Saw a quote from Viola yesterday that went something like – In a few years, when some of these young arms make their way up to the majors, many are going to be asking where did the Mets get all this outstanding pitching from?
Paul Festa
4/13/2012-11:10pm at 11:10 pm (UTC -4)
Impressive game tonight. Great pitching, a home run by Bay against Cliffly…5-2 to start the year. Can’t compain.
gategem
4/14/2012-1:47am at 1:47 am (UTC -4)
I didn’t get a chance to see too much of the game but apparently it was a most satisfying victory. Let’s see if they can take the series later today. It’s too much to ask for victory on Sunday with Pelfry pitching.
Prismo
4/14/2012-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
On Sunday it’s the old Pelf/Hamels match-up (anyone know how many times those 2 have faced off?). The Mets have historically owned Hamels, so I wouldn’t declare defeat so quickly!