Thursday, May 20, 2004
Cardinals 1, Mets 0
You know, if you keep entering the ninth inning of games trailing, you're eventually going to lose one. Tonight, the Mets got the top of their lineup to the plate in the final frame, but they went in order, thus saving you from having to read a diatribe about pinch running for your best hitter in the seventh inning of a scoreless game and the relative merits thereof. But before it came down to all of that, the Mets got the kind of starting pitching performance they got used to getting in the early weeks of the season. Unfortunately, along with it came the kind of offense they came to expect during that same period, leaving Steve Trachsel with a no decision to show for his seven scoreless innings.
Trachsel gave up just five hits and one walk while striking out four, but Mike Stanton and Ricky Bottlico combined to let a run, charged to Stanton, score in the eighth to give the Cardinals the margin of victory. Stanton gave up an infield hit to the first batter he faced, got an out and then exited in favor of Bottalico, who pitched a pair of innings just one day earlier and allowed a two-out double to Scott Rolen to drive home the game's lone run.
The Mets' offense managed just four hits and two walks, including that one by Mike Piazza in the seventh that got him taken out of the game for a pinch runner. Piazza also had a hit, while Eric Valent and Ty Wigginton, starting at second base, interestingly, each had doubles to provide the team's offensive highlights.
The Mets have won a lot of game that maybe they shouldn't have over the last week and a half, but they've also done a darn good job of losing the games they should win. Of course, if they could keep up that trick for a whole season, that might not be so bad for a team many predicted to lose more than they'd win. Tomorrow afternoon's pitching matchup doesn't really look to favor the Mets as Jae Weong Seo (2-3, 4.99) takes on Jason Marquis (2-3, 3.44). If we can all agree that this is a game the Mets "shouldn't" necessarily win, maybe they'll have a shot. ¶ joe | 12:33 AM |
You know, if you keep entering the ninth inning of games trailing, you're eventually going to lose one. Tonight, the Mets got the top of their lineup to the plate in the final frame, but they went in order, thus saving you from having to read a diatribe about pinch running for your best hitter in the seventh inning of a scoreless game and the relative merits thereof. But before it came down to all of that, the Mets got the kind of starting pitching performance they got used to getting in the early weeks of the season. Unfortunately, along with it came the kind of offense they came to expect during that same period, leaving Steve Trachsel with a no decision to show for his seven scoreless innings.
Trachsel gave up just five hits and one walk while striking out four, but Mike Stanton and Ricky Bottlico combined to let a run, charged to Stanton, score in the eighth to give the Cardinals the margin of victory. Stanton gave up an infield hit to the first batter he faced, got an out and then exited in favor of Bottalico, who pitched a pair of innings just one day earlier and allowed a two-out double to Scott Rolen to drive home the game's lone run.
The Mets' offense managed just four hits and two walks, including that one by Mike Piazza in the seventh that got him taken out of the game for a pinch runner. Piazza also had a hit, while Eric Valent and Ty Wigginton, starting at second base, interestingly, each had doubles to provide the team's offensive highlights.
The Mets have won a lot of game that maybe they shouldn't have over the last week and a half, but they've also done a darn good job of losing the games they should win. Of course, if they could keep up that trick for a whole season, that might not be so bad for a team many predicted to lose more than they'd win. Tomorrow afternoon's pitching matchup doesn't really look to favor the Mets as Jae Weong Seo (2-3, 4.99) takes on Jason Marquis (2-3, 3.44). If we can all agree that this is a game the Mets "shouldn't" necessarily win, maybe they'll have a shot. ¶ joe | 12:33 AM |
