Monday, May 09, 2005
Mets 7, Brewers 4
Mets 7, Brewers 5
Brewers 5, Mets 4
One thing that distinguishes this year's Mets team from those of recent years is that they quite often have enough offense to compensate for their starting pitchers' less than stellar efforts. They currently rank fourth in the National League in runs scored. Last year they ranked twelfth, which was the highest since the 2000 National League Champions ranked seventh. There are still 130 games to be played, but it certainly looks like the Mets' run-scoring apparatus has been drastically improved.
On Friday, Victor Zambrano got the start for the Mets, so of course the bats needed to step up. Zambrano did have a less than disastrous outing, very nearly lasting a full six innings, but not enough to drag his ERA below five and a half or anything. He went five and two-thirds and allowed three runs on six hits and four walks and he also struck out four. Willie Randolph made some curious decisions with regard to the bullpen, as Heath Bell relieved Zambrano in the sixth and Randolph just kept on sending him out there until he finally got into trouble in the ninth. Bell went two and two-thirds, allowing a run on three hits and a walk while striking out two. After forty-one pitches, Bell took a seat and three relievers closed the game out.
The offense provided enough of a cushion for these unusual bullpen machinations, smacking four home runs on the night. Mike Piazza continued his revival, blasting long shots in each of his first two at bats to give him five on the year. Mike Cameron hit his first of the season and David Wright went deep for the fifth time.
On Saturday, Pedro Martinez did a lot of things right, but a pair of home runs allowed accounted for his most runs allowed in a start this season. He lasted seven innings and gave up just three hits and a walk while striking out eleven, but he also hit a batter, and each of the five base runners he let on scored. That's been the story of his season, as he's now allowed twenty-five hits, nine walks and the one HBP and seventeen of those thirty-five runners have scored. He's now got a pretty nice 3.06 ERA, but imagine what it'll look like once his runners allowed to runs allowed ratio settles into a more normal level.
Even allowing five runs, Pedro was able to record his fourth win of the season as the Mets blasted another four home runs. This time it was Carlos Beltran doing double duty, finally starting to show the power numbers he's capable of compiling. David Wright homered again to match Beltran with six on the year. Doug Mientkiewicz hit his fifth.
Sunday was another weak pitching performance, though four runs in six innings was good enough to drop Tom Glavine's ERA back under seven. He did strike out more than he walked, fanning three while handing out just two free passes. But he also allowed eleven hits, which is the sort of thing that's going to happen from time to time if you allow as many balls in play as Glavine. And things could have been worse but for a pair of Brewers thrown out at the plate, including one by Victor Diaz, who started in left field. Diaz has shown a strong arm and decent speed over the first month of the season. He really seems to have at least some of the tools to be a competent outfielder or better, despite his reputation.
This time the offense wasn't quite up to the task of overcoming the bad pitching, as they only put four runs on the board on five hits and five walks. Mike Cameron hit his second home run and Carlos Beltran went three for four with a double, but those two accounted for all five of the team's hits. They drove in three runs while David Wright drove in the fourth on a fielder's choice.
Still, Glavine and the offense did well enough to keep things tied after eight, with a little help from Heath Bell and Roberto Hernandez, each of whom pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Then Willie Randolph made the bizarre move of calling on perhaps his worst reliever to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning in a tie game, despite the fact that his closer was both warmed up and rested, not having pitched the day before. Mike DeJean didn't exactly implode, but he did give up a pair of hits which, with some help from a stolen base, added up to a game-winning run. It looked to me like Mike Piazza had thrown out Junior Spivey trying to steal second on a pitch out, but it was close and he was called safe and so, with two outs, JJ Hardy drove him in. Randolph's bullpen moves haven't reached the Art Howe level of inexplicableness yet, but he certainly hasn't worked out all the kinks yet.
Next the Mets (17-15) head to Chicago to take on the struggling Cubs (13-17). Aaron Heilman (3-2, 4.19) goes for the Mets after pitching excellently in relief last week. Jon Leicester (0-2, 7.50) is apparently starting for the Cubs, though he's only pitched in relief so far this season. ¶ joe | 12:24 AM |
Mets 7, Brewers 5
Brewers 5, Mets 4
One thing that distinguishes this year's Mets team from those of recent years is that they quite often have enough offense to compensate for their starting pitchers' less than stellar efforts. They currently rank fourth in the National League in runs scored. Last year they ranked twelfth, which was the highest since the 2000 National League Champions ranked seventh. There are still 130 games to be played, but it certainly looks like the Mets' run-scoring apparatus has been drastically improved.
On Friday, Victor Zambrano got the start for the Mets, so of course the bats needed to step up. Zambrano did have a less than disastrous outing, very nearly lasting a full six innings, but not enough to drag his ERA below five and a half or anything. He went five and two-thirds and allowed three runs on six hits and four walks and he also struck out four. Willie Randolph made some curious decisions with regard to the bullpen, as Heath Bell relieved Zambrano in the sixth and Randolph just kept on sending him out there until he finally got into trouble in the ninth. Bell went two and two-thirds, allowing a run on three hits and a walk while striking out two. After forty-one pitches, Bell took a seat and three relievers closed the game out.
The offense provided enough of a cushion for these unusual bullpen machinations, smacking four home runs on the night. Mike Piazza continued his revival, blasting long shots in each of his first two at bats to give him five on the year. Mike Cameron hit his first of the season and David Wright went deep for the fifth time.
On Saturday, Pedro Martinez did a lot of things right, but a pair of home runs allowed accounted for his most runs allowed in a start this season. He lasted seven innings and gave up just three hits and a walk while striking out eleven, but he also hit a batter, and each of the five base runners he let on scored. That's been the story of his season, as he's now allowed twenty-five hits, nine walks and the one HBP and seventeen of those thirty-five runners have scored. He's now got a pretty nice 3.06 ERA, but imagine what it'll look like once his runners allowed to runs allowed ratio settles into a more normal level.
Even allowing five runs, Pedro was able to record his fourth win of the season as the Mets blasted another four home runs. This time it was Carlos Beltran doing double duty, finally starting to show the power numbers he's capable of compiling. David Wright homered again to match Beltran with six on the year. Doug Mientkiewicz hit his fifth.
Sunday was another weak pitching performance, though four runs in six innings was good enough to drop Tom Glavine's ERA back under seven. He did strike out more than he walked, fanning three while handing out just two free passes. But he also allowed eleven hits, which is the sort of thing that's going to happen from time to time if you allow as many balls in play as Glavine. And things could have been worse but for a pair of Brewers thrown out at the plate, including one by Victor Diaz, who started in left field. Diaz has shown a strong arm and decent speed over the first month of the season. He really seems to have at least some of the tools to be a competent outfielder or better, despite his reputation.
This time the offense wasn't quite up to the task of overcoming the bad pitching, as they only put four runs on the board on five hits and five walks. Mike Cameron hit his second home run and Carlos Beltran went three for four with a double, but those two accounted for all five of the team's hits. They drove in three runs while David Wright drove in the fourth on a fielder's choice.
Still, Glavine and the offense did well enough to keep things tied after eight, with a little help from Heath Bell and Roberto Hernandez, each of whom pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Then Willie Randolph made the bizarre move of calling on perhaps his worst reliever to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning in a tie game, despite the fact that his closer was both warmed up and rested, not having pitched the day before. Mike DeJean didn't exactly implode, but he did give up a pair of hits which, with some help from a stolen base, added up to a game-winning run. It looked to me like Mike Piazza had thrown out Junior Spivey trying to steal second on a pitch out, but it was close and he was called safe and so, with two outs, JJ Hardy drove him in. Randolph's bullpen moves haven't reached the Art Howe level of inexplicableness yet, but he certainly hasn't worked out all the kinks yet.
Next the Mets (17-15) head to Chicago to take on the struggling Cubs (13-17). Aaron Heilman (3-2, 4.19) goes for the Mets after pitching excellently in relief last week. Jon Leicester (0-2, 7.50) is apparently starting for the Cubs, though he's only pitched in relief so far this season. ¶ joe | 12:24 AM |
