Mets 7, Pirates 1

Early on I had a feeling that we'd see a different Mets offense tonight. It started when I saw the lineup. No Roger Cedeno in center. No Rey Sanchez batting second to compensate for the absence of Cedeno's offensive ineptitude at the top of the lineup. No, this time Art Howe sat Cedeno down and actually configured the top of the lineup well. Roberto Alomar was in the leadoff spot with Timo Perez batting second and I had a feeling the Mets might score some runs tonight. Jeff D'Amico's presence on the mound opposite the Met hitters was not entirely unrelated to this.

And so, Alomar came to the plate to leadoff the game and promptly did something that could never be expected of Cedeno in that spot. He walked. Perez and Cliff Floyd both flied out, but the Mets' offense would not be deterred on this night. Mike Piazza, who had been slumping mightily prior to a solo home run the previous night, singled to keep the inning alive. And Mo Vaughn, who in recent games would've been expected to ground out and end the threat, instead lined a ground rule double down the left field line to score Alomar. Ty Wigginton hit the ball hard as usual, but right at shortstop Jack Wilson. The first inning was over. The Mets had only scored one run, but the big bats had already shown that they were on their game this night.

And in the second, just to make sure everyone got the message, Jeromy Burnitz led off with his third home run of the season. The third inning brought more of the same, as Wigginton came to the plate with Vaughn and Floyd on first and third, respectively. He didn't get a hit, but he once again managed to reach on an error. It was the third time in this series and fourth time in a week he'd managed to pull that off. Floyd scored the Mets' third run.

And while the offense was waking from its slumber, rookie Jae Seo was sending the Pirate hitters down in short order. Seo pitched seven sharp innings, giving up just five hits and no runs. In three starts this season he has yet to walk a batter. He just pitched a solid, efficient game, constantly getting ahead of hitters with first-pitch strikes and never getting in much trouble.

In the seventh inning, the offense came to life again. Alomar walked. Perez tried to sacrifice him over, but wound up on first thanks to an error. And Piazza singled to load the bases for Vaughn. Again, this is the exact kind of situation in which the Mets have failed to come through so far this season, but failure was not part of Mo Vaughn's vocabulary tonight, as he doubled to left center to clear the bases and give the Mets a 6-0 lead. Vaughn finished four for five with four RBI and two doubles, raising his offense numbers to .244/.333/.439 and giving him 8 RBI on the season to lead the team.

Seo left the game after the seventh and left it in the shaky hands of Scott Strickland. Strickland gave up his customary run in the eighth, cutting the Met lead to five.

But Mike Piazza would have none of that, so he hit a home run to center that is best described as "gi-normous" to put the Mets up 7-1.

Before the game, the Mets, in a rare bout of common sense, sent Joe McEwing down to AAA and called up Jason Middlebrook to fill the hole in the bullpen left by Mike Stanton's minor injury. McEwing is of course full of fire and piss and vinegar and heart and determination and grit, but it seems that filling up on all those things has pushed any hitting talent he might have had right out the top of his head and he wasn't going to be of much use to the Mets any time soon. Middlebrook had failed to earn a spot on the roster in spring training, but had started out the AAA season pitching well. He came in in the ninth and gave up one run on two hits, while striking out two to finish off a 7-2 win for the Mets.

Vaughn was clearly the offensive star of the game, but Piazza also wound up three for five with two runs and an RBI on his second home run of the year and in as many nights. Alomar went just one for three, but also had a pair of walks and a pair of runs. And Burnitz providing a one for four night with a home run out of the seventh spot is more than acceptable. Rey Sanchez was the only Met starter without a hit, including Jae Seo, and the middle of the lineup seems to be awakening. If that keeps up, this team might not be done quite yet.

The 6-10 Mets return home tomorrow and send Al Leiter and his 1.45 ERA to the mound against Mark Redman and the Marlins.  ¶ joe | 1:54 AM |