Thursday, April 22, 2004
Mets 3, Expos 2
The day started out according to form for the Mets. They loaded the bases in the first inning without recording an out or a hit. And then they failed to score a single run. And it's not like these were the McEwings and Gutierrezes failing to drive these guys in. There were no outs in the first inning, so it was the middle of the lineup that couldn't even manage a sacrifice fly.
But unlike the last time the Mets faced John Patterson, they did eventually get to him. If you can calling scoring one run "getting to him." In the third, Shane Spencer got hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and Mike Piazza followed with a line drive that rightfielder Matt Cepicky was nice enough to turn from out into double. But that still wasn't enough to score a run, so Jason Phillips managed an infield single to finally plate Spencer.
And that was very nearly enough for Steve Trachsel, who pithced his third straight strong outing. It wasn't until the seventh inning that he allowed a run, a solo home run by Brian Schneider. With these two teams, that seemed to doom this game to extra innings, but the Mets actually managed to bounce back in the next half inning and get back the lead for Trachsel. Kazuo Matsui drew the first of his two walks on the afternoon. A Karim Garcia single and Mike Piazza double later, and Matsui scored the Mets' second run of the game. And with an insurmountable one run lead, it was time for Art Howe to begin resting the starters, so out came Piazza for pinch runner Vance Wilson. Luckily for Howe, the Mets added another run on a Mike Cameron double which drove home Wilson after Garcia had been erased at home on a fielder's choice.
A lead of two runs was an offensive explosion for this series, but hte Mets' improved defense managed to make things interesting in the ninth. Braden Looper did a very good job, all things considered, as not every closer can get five outs in an inning only allowing one run. With one out and a runner on first, Ricky Gutierrez, playing third base in place of the hospitalized Ty Wigginton, blew a grounder that should have been the second out of the inning. After Juan Rivera struck out for the third out of the inning, Brian Schneider lined out to left field that Shane Spencer, instead of turning into the fourth out of the inning, just dropped, allowing a run to score. Jamey Carroll finally grounded out to Jason Phillips for the fifth and final out of the inning, giving Trachsel the win and Looper the save.
Tomorrow, the Mets begin a nine game road trip in Chicago, as Jae Weong Seo (0-2, 8.00) and Greg Maddux (0-2, 8.62) each try to get on track for their respective teams. Ty Wigginton, hospitalized today due to dizziness and fainting, has been placed on the disabled list and replaced on the active roster by Danny Garcia. Hopefully Garcia will get a shot at starting at second base while he's up. He can't be any worse than the other options, can he? ¶ joe | 10:09 PM |
The day started out according to form for the Mets. They loaded the bases in the first inning without recording an out or a hit. And then they failed to score a single run. And it's not like these were the McEwings and Gutierrezes failing to drive these guys in. There were no outs in the first inning, so it was the middle of the lineup that couldn't even manage a sacrifice fly.
But unlike the last time the Mets faced John Patterson, they did eventually get to him. If you can calling scoring one run "getting to him." In the third, Shane Spencer got hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and Mike Piazza followed with a line drive that rightfielder Matt Cepicky was nice enough to turn from out into double. But that still wasn't enough to score a run, so Jason Phillips managed an infield single to finally plate Spencer.
And that was very nearly enough for Steve Trachsel, who pithced his third straight strong outing. It wasn't until the seventh inning that he allowed a run, a solo home run by Brian Schneider. With these two teams, that seemed to doom this game to extra innings, but the Mets actually managed to bounce back in the next half inning and get back the lead for Trachsel. Kazuo Matsui drew the first of his two walks on the afternoon. A Karim Garcia single and Mike Piazza double later, and Matsui scored the Mets' second run of the game. And with an insurmountable one run lead, it was time for Art Howe to begin resting the starters, so out came Piazza for pinch runner Vance Wilson. Luckily for Howe, the Mets added another run on a Mike Cameron double which drove home Wilson after Garcia had been erased at home on a fielder's choice.
A lead of two runs was an offensive explosion for this series, but hte Mets' improved defense managed to make things interesting in the ninth. Braden Looper did a very good job, all things considered, as not every closer can get five outs in an inning only allowing one run. With one out and a runner on first, Ricky Gutierrez, playing third base in place of the hospitalized Ty Wigginton, blew a grounder that should have been the second out of the inning. After Juan Rivera struck out for the third out of the inning, Brian Schneider lined out to left field that Shane Spencer, instead of turning into the fourth out of the inning, just dropped, allowing a run to score. Jamey Carroll finally grounded out to Jason Phillips for the fifth and final out of the inning, giving Trachsel the win and Looper the save.
Tomorrow, the Mets begin a nine game road trip in Chicago, as Jae Weong Seo (0-2, 8.00) and Greg Maddux (0-2, 8.62) each try to get on track for their respective teams. Ty Wigginton, hospitalized today due to dizziness and fainting, has been placed on the disabled list and replaced on the active roster by Danny Garcia. Hopefully Garcia will get a shot at starting at second base while he's up. He can't be any worse than the other options, can he? ¶ joe | 10:09 PM |
