Johan Santana had the task of following R.A. Dickey’s performance. Tommy Hunter of Baltimore was his opponent.
Johan had a 90 mph fastball going as soon as the first inning and his change up was in full form. Johan gave up a lead off double in the top of the second but was able to work around it. Santana also gave up a walk in the top of the third that he was able to pick off for the third out.
Johan Santana hit the first base hit for the Mets in the bottom of the third but was stranded. Matt Wieters hit a 3-0 double that put the Birds in a position to score some runs in the top of the fourth putting runners on second and third with only one out. But Santana stuck out Mark Reyonlds and gave Steve Pearce a backwards K to end the inning.
David Wright extended his hitting streak with one out base hit in the bottom of the fourth. Lucas Duda followed by dumping a ball in the outfield to put the Mets in a position to score some runs. Ike Davis, coming off a big night, worked an 0-2 count to draw a walk to load the bases. And Daniel Murphy who is mired in slump, came to the plate and hit a hot shot down the first base line that was smothered and caught to get the out; however, the Mets got on the board with the first run of the game.
Santana shut Baltimore down in the top of the fifth-Hunter shut the Mets down in order in the bottom of the frame as well. Santana ran in a little trouble in the top of the sixth when after two outs, he gave up a single and a walk and induced a pop up to preserve the slim lead. His night was done and it’s safe to say that Santana has recovered from his no hitter.
The Mets extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth when Jordany Valdespin hit a lead off single and was driven home by a Lucas Duda 11th home run. Bobby Parnell came in for the seventh did his his job as he put the Birds down in order.
Omar Quintanilla lead off the bottom of the eight with a base hit. Josh Thole followed with a single on his own putting runners on the corners with only one out, but Andres Torres would ground into a fielders choice. Valdespin would continue his hot hitting by hitting a two RBI base hit giving the Mets a 5 run lead.
Miguel Batista came in for the eighth and besides the fact that he couldn’t tie his shoes, gave up a base hit and a wild pitch putting a man on second with no outs. He managed to get out of the inning unscathed.
Jon Rauch came in to close the game out and get the win.
38 comments
kingman 26
6/19/2012-9:54pm at 9:54 pm (UTC -4)
Damn, this is a serious roller coaster of the highest magnitude.
I am starting to think that Chris Young is the key to this year. If he goes 6 or 7 strong every time out, maybe they really can frigin challenge for a WC.
Remember the last few years of early season hope; they MUST get to August 1 above .500.
Metsblog highlight of the day: Wright is leading Ryan Braun by 360,000 votes in the all star balloting for 3rd base.
Yes, really.
Stick—9-9 with 4 to go. ONE more win and we emerge from the death stretch above .500. We go 3-2 and it is time to order playoff tix.
Gotta go…have to polish the Float. Using Knob Creek 120 proof as polish—really brings out a nice shine.
darknova306
6/19/2012-10:13pm at 10:13 pm (UTC -4)
“ONE more win and we emerge from the death stretch above .500. We go 3-2 and it is time to order playoff tix”
And the second you click “confirm order” Santana’s shoulder blows out and the wheels fall off the season. Lots of baseball yet to be played. Let them get into mid-August within a couple games of a WC slot before talking about playoff tix.
Stick
6/19/2012-10:21pm at 10:21 pm (UTC -4)
Scrooge.
kingman 26
6/19/2012-10:24pm at 10:24 pm (UTC -4)
I hear you Dark; I also don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, as with research for my last opinion piece I reinforced my own awareness of the fact that they basically have done this every year since 2006 and then choked it away one way or another.
Truthfully, for me, I want 82 wins and continued progress from Wheeler and Harvey.
Dickey/Johan and three of Young/Wheeler/Harvey/Niese/Gee/Pelf (yeah I said it) make a potentially great rotation.
darknova306
6/19/2012-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, the crowning achievement to me is the “best June in franchise history” followed by lots of mediocrity (I honestly forget which year that was, all the failure has blurred together for me). They’ve done enough in the past 5 years to beat the expectations out of me until they can finally prove otherwise.
Hey, if they somehow miraculously do stay in contention into September, at least Jose Reyes took his “choke in September” offensive “talents” to South Beach.
gategem
6/20/2012-1:52am at 1:52 am (UTC -4)
And if it should come to pass that the wheels do fall off then it will take the three of us to restrain Stick from jumping off the Ben Franklin Bridge.
kingman 26
6/20/2012-9:18am at 9:18 am (UTC -4)
Nah, we just have to hold up a big photo-shopped picture of Duda holding the NL MVP trophy, and Stick will come a-runnin’.
Mr North Jersey
6/19/2012-10:25pm at 10:25 pm (UTC -4)
May your beer be flat for a month.
Prismo
6/20/2012-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
“Gotta go…have to polish the Float.”
Is that a euphemism?
(Sorry ladies)
kingman 26
6/20/2012-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
Hahaha!
Damn, did not even think of that.
Ouch.
Prismo
6/20/2012-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
“Metsblog highlight of the day: Wright is leading Ryan Braun by 360,000 votes in the all star balloting for 3rd base.
Yes, really.”
Wait……..really? Did they take the post down, I don’t see it on the front page.
srt
6/19/2012-9:54pm at 9:54 pm (UTC -4)
Much better start for Johan tonight.
Only down side is his PC is really always going to be limited (except for that no-no), so if it’s a little high after six, we have to rely on the BP – which is always an adventure.
Props to the BP tonight though for keeping it scoreless.
Duda and Spin come through when we needed it.
Onto the sweep tomorrow.
Mr North Jersey
6/19/2012-9:55pm at 9:55 pm (UTC -4)
It was a nice rebound game by Santana after 2 less than stellar starts.
Nice job Santana and the pen to keep the shutout in order. Props to Duda on the 2 run jack and Spin with the ins runs late in the game. I’d say Spin has earned more time in LF vs righties and a platoon with Hairston vs lefties.
Good win now let’s go for the sweep.
LGM!
kingman 26
6/19/2012-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
Johan is not a bad number 2 is he?
Mr North Jersey
6/19/2012-9:59pm at 9:59 pm (UTC -4)
Prismo
6/20/2012-11:03am at 11:03 am (UTC -4)
Mr North Jersey
6/19/2012-9:59pm at 9:59 pm (UTC -4)
BTW I know Ike’s hitting streak ended but if you saw his approach in his 2nd at bat I believe when he drew the walk you have to feel good that he is on the right track as far as seeing the ball better and the hits should come.
Also Wright hit 2 shots but had nothing to show for it. It happens. The big thing is we won and someone else picked those guys up tonight.
NJStuckinTX
6/19/2012-10:04pm at 10:04 pm (UTC -4)
I was going to comment on that walk. That made me think he wasn’t just stepping in some smelly stuff for a week or so.
NJStuckinTX
6/19/2012-10:01pm at 10:01 pm (UTC -4)
I’m starting to think Spin will be playing himself off the bench and murph is playing himself onto the bench. I’m not super big Spin guy, but he’s proving me wrong. He’s got pop, speed and plays D on par with Murph, so playing him over Murph is the correct way to go.
kingman 26
6/19/2012-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
Murph is a one-tool guy; the very best way to utilize that one tool is for him to come off the bench.
And the versatility he offers—he can play 3-4 positions very poorly as well!
TRS86
6/19/2012-10:09pm at 10:09 pm (UTC -4)
I believe I coined the phrase stand at multiple positions.
Hazmet
6/19/2012-10:13pm at 10:13 pm (UTC -4)
And I thought it was the Kama Sutra all these years that had the copyright….
Stick
6/19/2012-10:17pm at 10:17 pm (UTC -4)
in the past, he has also shown a knack for getting PHs.
I can live with him on the bench.
Prismo
6/20/2012-11:04am at 11:04 am (UTC -4)
He’s played like a 0-tool guy so far this season, with the exception of a few moments.
Stick
6/19/2012-10:16pm at 10:16 pm (UTC -4)
I can live with that.
srt
6/19/2012-10:22pm at 10:22 pm (UTC -4)
They mentioned on the post game tonight that when Valdespin went back down the last time, Wally sat him down and pointed out the ‘error of his ways’ when he was up here (I guess referring to booting a couple of balls, not being very patient at the plate). Trying to get him pointed back in the right direction. So far, he looks better.
I’m not sold on Spin yet either but if he cuts down on the hacking at the plate, gets those big hits like tonight and picks up his defense, he might be a keeper up her when the troops return.
Actually, they might have a somewhat difficult decision on who goes/who stays. Given the fact that Spin can play LF too gives him a bit of an edge.
NJStuckinTX
6/19/2012-10:56pm at 10:56 pm (UTC -4)
I’m guessing Tejada for Q. Rottino is about the one other that is “expendable”, per se.
srt
6/20/2012-9:25am at 9:25 am (UTC -4)
Problem with this is Q is out of options. There is no way if we send him down, he doesn’t get picked up.
NJstuckinTX
6/20/2012-9:44am at 9:44 am (UTC -4)
Well, Tejada for Rottino and no more peeps to the major league level.
Daniel Stein-Sayles
6/19/2012-10:29pm at 10:29 pm (UTC -4)
If they get the sweep tomorrow (knock on wood) this would be the craziest back and forth I can ever remember, four straight sweeps, WOW.
Mr North Jersey
6/19/2012-10:49pm at 10:49 pm (UTC -4)
Loria sees “nothing but Miami sunshine” as the fish fall 1 game below .500
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/baseball/miami-marlins-owner-jeffrey-loria-to-fans-relax-we/nPZgm/
srt
6/20/2012-7:51am at 7:51 am (UTC -4)
Is that the same as ‘Will the sun come up tomorrow’ quote by WIlpon? LOL.
Loria has to tell himself something after spending all that money this year on that team.
mattcerrone
6/19/2012-11:30pm at 11:30 pm (UTC -4)
That was is a nice win vs the Nats tonite in Washigton. Keep it up Mets! Cliff Floyd looking good at the plate! David Wright leading Braun in All Star voting for SS.
kingman 26
6/20/2012-12:09am at 12:09 am (UTC -4)
You really ARE Cerrone!
mattcerrone
6/20/2012-12:35am at 12:35 am (UTC -4)
It’s going to be interesting to see if Art Howe will continue to lead off with Tejada or go back to Wright. The upshot of this is that when the All Star Game is played tomorrow, the team will be able to rest up and get much neeeded rest.
kingman 26
6/20/2012-9:21am at 9:21 am (UTC -4)
Excellent points, but again, Tejada did re-injure himself diving into his TV room to catch a replay of another great play by Ryan Braun at third base.
Tejada also has carpal tunnel from excessively voting for Sid Fernandez as best righty starter in Met history.
mr mojo risin
6/20/2012-1:03am at 1:03 am (UTC -4)
At what point in time will a HR in Citi’s new configuration simply be called a HR rather than mentioning that it might not have been out in years prior ? I hope its going to be just this year in an attempt to justify the move, which I was in favor of, but I’m already sick of it. It makes it seem cheap in a way.
Stickguy
6/20/2012-8:30am at 8:30 am (UTC -4)
what they should do is point out all the balls that are caught that would have been a HR in the bandbox parks.
Saw highlights of last nights Phils game, and Ruiz hit a HR to LF that I doubt would have come to the warning track in Citi, and even if it did have enough carry, would probably have hit the (new lower) wall anyway!